Syracuse officials say water sampling results show the city's water meets Environmental Protection Agency guidance for lead standards.

The city said Friday morning that the results, taken in the second half of the year, showed the 90th percentile of samples from 131 homes with lead lines came in under the EPA's lead action level of 15 parts per billion. That level, according to the EPA, measures how effective corrosion control treatment is in water systems.

Syracuse's samples came in at 12 parts per billion.

"The latest Syracuse test results show the corrosion control program is working," a city press release read. "Under current EPA requirements, water sampling will be repeated every six months." 

Syracuse plans to replace more than 3,000 lead service lines in the next year, which officials say will include "areas with the highest concentrations of older homes that are prone to lead infrastructure. These projects will be planned utilizing the City’s Equity Score."

A test in July by the city showed more than a fifth of around 100 tested homes exceeded the federal action level for lead set at 15 parts per billion.

The city, however, recently put two workers on administrative leave for allegedly conducting the tests improperly. Its most recent study in October registered only five of 115 houses with elevated lead levels. 

“The data has returned to what we have seen historically and it really just confirms that the first half of this year was really an anomaly," said Syracuse Chief Operating Officer Corey Driscoll Dunham. "We don’t believe that the data supports a declaration of emergency and data will continue to drive our decision making process there.” 

The city and Onondaga County will provide free water filters to homes in Syracuse where children six and younger and pregnant women are "routinely present." They'll first be made available to WIC Program participants.

“The distribution of filters now is consistent with what other cities have done in similar situations while you’re waiting for lead service lines to be replaced," said Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Kathryn Anderson. "So what other people in other cities have done is they distribute filters then replace service lines. It doesn’t mean that there’s an emergency or crisis they’re just doing all they can to reduce child lead exposure.” 

Pickup dates are as follows:

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program, 307 Gifford Street

  • Monday, Nov. 25, from noon-7 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 26, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 27, from 7:30 a.m.-noon

Salvation Army Christmas Bureau Registration Days

  • Huntington Family Center, 405 Gifford Street: Monday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Refugee Assistance Program, 516 Prospect Ave.: Tuesday, Dec. 3, noon-4 p.m.
  • The Oncenter, 800 S. State St.: Monday, Dec. 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 10, noon-6 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

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