Water in 71 Purdue buildings passes tests; 1 Hilltop faucet over threshold
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University recently tested the water in 72 of its buildings and found the water from one faucet in Hilltop Apartments Building 3 tested over the action threshold for lead and copper.
"While 71 buildings passed the test, we are concerned about the one that did not and are taking quick action to determine the cause and extent of the problem," said Robert McMains, vice president for physical facilities.
"The solution could be as simple as replacing a faucet or may require further investigation to isolate the cause and determine the extent of this problem. Purdue will sample the water as adjustments are made to the building's water system to ensure the problem is resolved properly."
In August, Purdue sampled water from 30 buildings. Five buildings on campus tested above the threshold set by Indiana Department of Environmental Management. IDEM notified Purdue and asked for corrective action. Adjustments were then made to phosphate levels of the water, and the water was sampled again. The water from these five buildings now is below the IDEM threshold.
IDEM also required that Purdue sample the water from 60 of its buildings twice this year. Purdue is sampling 72.
"We decided to exceed that requirement so the campus community could have confidence in its water supply," McMains said. "The 72 buildings include all the housing areas and most of the academic campus, including the five buildings that previously tested high."
Lead in plumbing is a problem nationwide, not just at Purdue. Lead enters drinking water primarily as a result of corrosion of materials containing lead in the system, such as lead-based solder used to join copper pipe, brass and chrome-plated faucets, and, in some cases, pipes made of lead that connect houses and buildings to water mains. Because of this, IDEM recommends that when any faucet in any building has not been used for several hours, the best practice is to run water 15-30 seconds, or until the water is cold, before drinking it or using it in cooking.
Lead consumption over time can be harmful.
Writer: Jeanne Norberg, 765-494-2084, jnorberg@purdue.edu
Source: Robert McMains, 765-494-8000, remcmains@purdue.edu