A new study from the Environmental Protection Agency has found filters for lead in the water used in homes are effective at removing the lead. The EPA said Thursday when the filters, like the ones handed out in Benton Harbor, are used correctly, they work. The EPA over a three month study sampled water from nearly 200 homes in Benton Harbor. None of the homes using the filters tested for a lead level of higher than five parts per billion, the federal lead level limit for bottled water. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is still recommending Benton Harbor residents drink bottled water, even though the filters have been deemed effective. It’s recommended the bottled water be used for cooking, drinking, brushing teeth, and mixing powdered infant formula. Meanwhile, the effort continues to solve the root problem in Benton Harbor by replacing all lead water service lines left in the community. The goal is to have it all finished next year.
