UPDATED: Lead found in Hays County water

The picture above is a map of the five sites sampled that tested for elevated lead, plus the Hays County Government Center. 712 S Stagecoach is the location of the Hays County Government Center, 403 S Stagecoach is a Pioneer Bank, 1701 Wonderworld is Weinerschnitzel, the two Dutton addresses are stores in a strip mall and 333 Stagecoach is Herenandez Elementry School.

BY: KEFF CIARDELLO, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

@Keff_C

According to a report by kvue.com, an excessive amount of lead was discovered in the drinking and irrigation water that is primarily used by the Hays County Government Center.

On July, 21, the Hays County Government Center was shut down by officials after complaints of discoloration that was appearing in their water. The initial test results showed that the amount of lead found in the water was slightly over the limit, according to the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A follow up test commissioned by the county proved that the levels of lead were far greater than the EPA’s standards, with some samples being 20 times greater than the limit.

Lead was also found in other samples taken of some water supplies surrounding the Hays County Government Center, which is located on Stagecoach Trail in San Marcos. Communications Specialist for the City of San Marcos told kvue.com that those results aren’t as daunting as they seem, “Only two off-site samples were taken: A dead end line fixture and a utility closet tap in a neighboring building. These are not indicative of general system conditions.”

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that lead poisoning affects approximately 500,000 children each year, many of them unrecognized because lead poisoning offers no signs of symptoms. Lead poisoning can affect nearly every system in the body and can cause learning disabilities, behavioral issues, seizures and even death.

Almost two months have passed and there still isn’t a clear indication of where the lead came from. It could be from the building itself or from a different source. But whether it’s one site or 50 sites, this is an issue that can’t be ignored.

The San Marcos Corridor News will keep you updated on this situation right here as more information unfolds.

UPDATE:

The City of San Marcos sent out the following press release at 5:14 p.m. on Wednesday, September 10:

City Water Fully Compliant with State and Federal Regulations

Officials Investigating Conflicting Lead Readings in Water System

The City of San Marcos is investigating the
cause of contradictory and elevated lead readings found in five of 12 test samples
in the vicinity of the Hays County Government Center.

“The water is in full compliance with state and federal regulations regarding lead
in drinking water designed to ensure public health,” said Tom Taggart, Executive
Director of Public Services. “However, the City is working aggressively and
methodically to determine the cause of the conflicting reports and elevated lead
readings in the water distribution system and take corrective measures.”

The City began a water sampling program near the Hays County Government Center in
response to water quality problems experienced in the building. Tests from samples
taken Sept. 4 showed lead readings in three of six samples above the EPA’s action
levels.

The water system in the area was flushed on Sept. 7, and a new round of samples was
taken Sept. 8. These showed two of six readings above action levels but at different
locations from the initial tests. City water distribution personnel conducted third
and fourth rounds of sampling Sept. 10.

EPA action levels are triggers for evaluation of system water treatment process and
are not violations of state or federal regulations.

The City has asked TCEQ to conduct confirmation sampling through a third-party
contractor.

“Our drinking water is of the upmost importance, and we take lead concerns very
seriously,” said City Manager Jared Miller. “We’re committed to identifying the
source of these conflicting readings and make the proper corrections to help us
continue to provide high-quality water to our customers.”

Past sampling data have shown no elevated lead levels in the City’s source water or
readings above action levels in home sampling sites. Water chemistry tests show that
the water is non-corrosive and not prone to leaching lead from plumbing.

The City has discussed these results with TCEQ personnel and has hired a contracting
firm Alan Plummer & Associates, Inc. (APAI) to help identify possible sources of the
elevated lead levels.

Additionally, the City has formed a water quality task force consisting of APAI, the
Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority and City staff to work on addressing the problem.
The task force will determine the appropriate next steps regarding additional
sampling, interpretation of the results, identification of causes, corrective
actions necessary and will start the water treatment analysis as appropriate.

The City will open a call center Thursday morning at 8 a.m. for residents who have
questions about the elevated lead readings in the water samples. Call 512.393.8009
from 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

People may also call the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Water Supply
Division at 512.239.4691.

More information can be found online at
www.sanmarcostx.gov/waterquality<http://www.sanmarcostx.gov/waterquality>.