Treatment 'Lapse' May Be Cause For Lead In Water At Morristown Hospital

MORRISTOWN, N.J. – While Morristown Medical Center is continuing to use bottled water cooking and drinking for patients, visitors, and staff members, the level of lead in the facility’s well water is on the decline, Atlantic Health Systems announced.

The hospital shut off the tap water on Feb. 25 for the purposes of ingestion after higher than normal levels of lead were found in its private well water. The water continues to be used for the purposes of hand washing and bathing, as lead cannot be absorbed by human skin, Atlantic Health Systems spokeswoman Elaine Andrecovich said.

See related: Patients, Staff Exposed To Lead In Water For A Month At Morristown Medical Center

Testing results in recent days have shown a strong decline in the level of lead in the water, Andrecovich said.

“At this time, we are investigating the possibility that a lapse in a water treatment called orthophosphate, a commonly used chemical that keeps lead from entering our water system, may have caused lead particles to enter the water,” she said.

See related: Lead Found In Well Water At Morristown Medical Center

Lead checks are conducted semi-annually, she said, and January 22 was the last time the facility received acceptable water results, but that doesn’t rule out the potential of lead being in the water between semi-annual tests.

The hospital released a Frequently Asked Questions list in response to the issue:

1. Why isn’t Morristown Medical Center reporting the level of lead found?
We continue to work with the Department of Environmental Protection to assess the validity of a water sample taken on February 22. Results from a retest on February 26 ranged from extremely low to 326 parts per billion, which is still above the federal action level of 15 parts per billion. Testing results in recent days have shown a strong decline in the level of lead in our water.

2. How often does the hospital test for lead in the water?
We are mandated by the state to test our water for lead on a semi-annual basis. The last test was conducted in September 2015, with acceptable results.

3. Was any testing done between Jan. 22 and Feb. 25?
Yes, routine testing was conducted throughout this time. Multiple confirmatory tests were conducted in coordination with the DEP and DOH after February 25.

4. Is the hospital reaching out to patients who were in the hospital at that time to notify them of possible exposure?
Yes; we are following federal guidelines for notification.

5. What’s the source of the contamination, old soldering, contamination of the well, etc...?
We continue to work with the DEP to determine the cause of the varying lead levels. The well water has been tested, and is not the source of the lead.

At this time, we are investigating the possibility that a lapse in a water treatment called orthophosphate, a commonly used chemical that keeps lead from entering our water system, may have caused lead particles to enter the water.

6. Where is the well?
On Morristown Medical Center property.

7. Could the exposure have preceded Jan. 22?
It is possible. Based on what we know at present, January 22 was the last time we received acceptable water results, which we are making our baseline. As we continue to investigate this matter with the Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Health, that date may change.

8. What about mothers who recently delivered here?
Morristown Medical Center is proactively reaching out to our higher-risk population.

9. How did you determine the length of exposure?
Based on what we know, January 22 was the last time we received acceptable water results, which we are making our baseline. As we continue to investigate this matter with the Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Health, that date may change. DEP-confirmed results revealing varying levels of lead in the water were shared with Morristown Medical Center late on February 24, and acted upon in coordination with Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Health on February 25.

According to a statement from the Department of Environmental Protection, some lead results in late February were more than 20 times the “action” level.

The DEP said:

The results from the DOH laboratory resulted in a 90th percentile value of 199 ppb, with a highest result of 326 ppb and 29 of 39 distribution samples exceeding the action level of 15 ppb. Garden State Lab results showed the 90th percentile for the 39 samples of 91 ppb.

The raw water source, as expected, was non-detect for lead. Based on our continuing investigation and the initial Feb. 17 advisement, we are observing the non-operation of the corrosion control system as the possible root cause of the elevated lead numbers in the system.

As a result, the DEP has issued two notices of violation to Morristown Medical Center “for the interruption in operation of the corrosion control system and issued a second NOV as a result of information, including sampling results, obtained during the continuing investigation.”