City of Central says water is safe after concerns over lead amount

CENTRAL, La. (BRPROUD) — The City of Central announced that they are aware of water quality concerns from citizens but say that the water is safe to drink.

In a post made on April 3, the city said the mayor was aware of concerns about the amount of lead in the water. The city spoke to the Baton Rouge Water Company and said the drinking water has been tested regularly.

“The water undergoes extensive purification methods to meet and exceed regulatory standards, providing a reliable source of clean and potable water for our community,” the post said.

According to the city, the source of lead in the drinking water is usually related to the household piping system.

The city said water should run 30 to 45 seconds before filling a cup or pot to flush out any traces of lead from the pipes.

“If you are concerned that your water has too much lead, it is recommended to contact Baton Rouge Water so they can make recommendations of how to test the water at the tap,” the post said.

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The Mayor is aware of the concerns about water quality. After speaking with Baton Rouge Water Company, the allowable level in Louisiana for lead concentration in drinking water is 15 parts per billion (PPB) and our drinking water has been tested as required by the state on a regular basis. At home test kits check for the presence of lead. While any lead present is a concern for us, the water we drink is considered safe. Also, some test kits show the presence of lead at 5PPB. The source of lead in our drinking water is usually related to the household piping system. It is recommended to let the water run for 30-45 seconds before filling your cup or pot. This will flush the line of any water that trace amounts of lead have leached into. If you are concerned that your water has too much lead, it is recommended to contact Baton Rouge Water so they can test the water at the tap. The water company does not recommend filters, but you can install a filter at your faucet if you are concerned. Water distillers are also an option. Our drinking water is treated with chlorine per LDH regulations. There is robust debate about this practice even though it is the current method used to treat and deliver our drinking water. While trace amounts of fluoride and lead may be present in our drinking water, rest assured that rigorous testing processes are in place to ensure its safety. The water undergoes extensive purification methods to meet and exceed regulatory standards, providing a reliable source of clean and potable water for our community.

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