💧 Water and Power · U.S. Virgin Islands
WAPA said EPA sampling found lower lead levels at St. Croix kitchen taps during virtual town hall
Official document: https://www.viwapa.vi/docs/default-source/2023-pr/press-release---(1.22.24)-wapa-reports-on-progress-sharing-st.-croix-water-quality-update.pdf?sfvrsn=e7e75d77_3
The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority said at a virtual town hall on January 17, 2024, that follow-up sampling on St. Croix found lower lead levels at household kitchen taps than earlier tests taken at distribution meters.
According to WAPA, sequential sampling conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in November found that 119 household kitchen-tap samples had lead levels far below those recorded at distribution meters. WAPA said two samples were above the lead action level and were likely linked to plumbing or faucets inside homes. One of those samples had been taken from water that had been stagnant for about four days.
WAPA said it, along with representatives from the EPA, the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources, the Department of Health and VITEMA, told residents that testing and mitigation efforts were continuing. The authority said those efforts included replacing service lines with brass or lead components, daily hydrant flushing, distributing water vouchers and public education.
The authority said additional testing was underway as officials evaluated whether to lift the no-drinking advisory that had been issued for St. Croix in 2023. WAPA also said the federal state of emergency was set to expire on January 23, 2024. It said sampling would continue on St. Thomas and St. John, where it reported no indications of lead or copper in the water systems.
WAPA said it was also addressing complaints about red and brown water on St. Croix through corrosion-control work, expanded laboratory staffing, targeted flushing and consultation with outside experts. The authority said FEMA had obligated $30 million to WAPA and anticipated more than $1.5 billion for replacement of St. Croix's water system.
The Department of Health also provided an update on its Safe Haven initiative, which WAPA said was aimed at establishing a baseline of lead exposure among children ages 0 to 6 and testing other vulnerable residents. WAPA said 1,270 children had been tested. It reported 66 confirmed lead-negative results, 63 confirmed copper-negative results, three confirmed lead-positive results and six confirmed copper-positive results, with other tests still pending confirmation. WAPA said home assessments for the three positive lead cases found lead in cooking pots and floor tile, and that additional in-home water testing was pending.
WAPA said water vouchers for active accounts in impacted areas were available through February 19, 2024.