Elevated Lead Levels Found In Drinking Water Samples: DPW

GARDEN CITY, NY — Elevated levels of lead have been found in the drinking water of some homes and buildings in Garden City, village officials announced on Monday.

The action level was exceeded in samples tested from 16 of 61 homes during a six-month monitoring that ended on June 30.

Lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and children under seven years old, the village's Department of Public Works said.

Concern grew after a homeowner was diagnosed with an elevated blood lead level. That led to water samples conducted of many residents, which showed a high percentage of lead detections in the area, the village said.

In an effort to reduce exposure to lead, you should follow these tips.

• If you don't know if there's a lead service line, you should run the cold water tap for no less than two minutes after any period of non-use, until it becomes cold or a steady temperature before using it for cooking or drinking.
• Do not boil water to remove lead.
• If your home is serviced by a lead line, use bottled water or a water filter.

In addition, the village offers free lead water testing to all homeowners. For more information, call the village at 516-465-4020.