This might seem like a really strange question to ask, but UPitt is my first choice and I might think of settling in the Pittsburgh area when I’m older if I do go here! I’m from out of state, but I heard that some areas of Pittsburgh had issues with lead poisoning in water, much like the issue that’s still ongoing in Flint, Michigan. Is UPitt’s water safe? Has it been tested? From the little bits of information I can find that are relatively recent, I heard that PWSA claims that it’s not their fault and won’t do much to fix it.
You can see some info on their website - they’ve had a recent lead exceedance. What this means is that they found lead in people’s homes over the action level that EPA sets. Lead (and copper) sampling are the only samples a water system does that is completed inside a customer’s home. In this case, they are likely taking samples from 100+ homes every three years. The results are put into numerical order from highest to lowest and the 90th percent value is used to see whether the lead (or copper) action level is exceeded.
All large water systems had to remove lead service lines many years ago. However, lead lines can still remain from the meter to the house. These are the responsibility of the homeowner (typically, because you own the land.) What their website indicates is that those still exist in Pittsburgh. Lead lines were used because they were in fashion at the time many cities were installing such infrastructure- lead is easy to work with!
In your situation, I’d set aside a bit more money to replace that line from the meter to the house if the current owners didn’t already. After moving in, I’d ask the water system if they do free lead in homes water testing and if not, find a local lab that will run the sample and pay for it myself (~$40). For peace of mind I’d run two samples - one taken immediately after sitting in the pipe overnight or for at least six hours and one taken after running the water for at least 30 seconds. I’d also plan to replace a few faucets, paying attention to the box when buying a new one because the allowable lead level in faucets has changed recently (greatly reduced amount allowed) and retailers are allowed to still sell existing faucets. Depending on the interior plumbing’s age, I might even budget to replace that eventually.
But mostly, I wouldn’t sweat it too much. I’ve raised two really smart kids in a city known for its elevated lead levels. The easiest thing to do is to run water until it is cold -30 seconds or so, depending on how extensive the household plumbing is. Once the water is cold, that means you’re getting water from the pipe in the street and not water that’s been sitting in the faucet/interior pipes for hours. Their water is slightly corrosive - and they likely treat it to reduce that- but they don’t control your plumbing. Use only cold water for cooking and drinking. Those easy steps have been shown to greatly limit your lead exposure.
ALERT: Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, the water provider for the Oakland area, has issued a boil-water alert. Students in residence halls are advised to use bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth, and preparing food. Sodexo is mobilizing now to deliver bottled water to the security desk at each residence hall. Students living in the residence halls will be able to get the bottled water there.
The University is emailing residence hall students directly with this information.
For those living in residences with kitchens, PWSA advises that you:
— Flush your water tap by running water for 1 minute or longer, then
— Boil water for 1 minute, and let it cool before consumption.
— PWSA says that it is okay to shower or use water externally
For updates on university response, see emergency.pitt.edu
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2017/02/02/pittsburgh-boil-water-advisory-lifted/
The boil water advisory has been lifted.