Lead Awareness: City of Clare Water Filter Distribution for Eligible Residents

City of Clare Water Filter Distribution for Eligible Residents
(City of Clare) The City of Clare’s public water supply is above the action level for lead. Lead can cause serious health and development problems, especially for young children and pregnant woman. Following the recommendations of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Central Michigan District Health Department is recommending that City of Clare residents who are connected to city water flush their water for at least five minutes prior to using, or use a NSF Standard 53 certified filter to remove lead from
the water.
MDHHS recommends homes with children and/or pregnant women use a filter certified to reduce lead in water. Children and fetuses are most at risk of harm to their health from lead. Children and pregnant women should use cold filtered water for drinking, rinsing food, cooking, missing powered infant formula, and brushing teeth. Bottled water could also be used.

City of Clare customers are reminded to take the following precautionary actions to reduce the amount of lead in their water: 

Use a water filter certified to remove lead from the water. Read the package to be sure it is certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction. The U.S. Environmental rotection Agency also recommends that the filter be certified for NSF/ANSI Standard 42 for particulate reduction (Class 1). (filters cost about $35 and replacement cartridges cost about $15)

Residents who do not have a filter and have not used their water for six hours or more should flush their pipes to reduce the amount of lead in their drinking water. Pipes can be flushed by running faucets, taking a shower, running a load of laundry or washing dishes for at least five minutes. Before using the
water from faucet used for drinking or cooking run the water again until it goes from room temperature to cold. This flushes out any water that been sitting in the sink’s pipes and faucet. 

Use cold tap water for drinking and cooking. 

Use bottled water for preparing baby formula or use Ready-to-Feed formula. 

Do not boil your water to remove lead. Boiling water will increase the amount of lead in the water that’s left. 

Clean faucets’ aerators or screens at least every six months. For more information on how to clean your aerator, visit www.cmdhd.org/lead.

The Central Michigan District Health Department (CMDHD) will offer lead-certified water filters free of charge (one per household) to eligible city residents. Filters will be available on Friday, September 27, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Pere Marquette District Library, 184 E. Fourth Street, in Clare.

This article has been brought to you by Central Michigan District Health Department, which serves the counties of Arenac, Clare, Gladwin, Isabella, Osceola and Roscommon. Visit our website at www.cmdhd.org, LIKE Central Michigan District Health Department on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @CMiDHD.