Stockton Wants To Test Water Monthly For Lead, Copper Leeching
STOCKTON (CBS13) — The city of Stockton wants to conduct monthly water tests for lead and copper inside north Stockton homes.
Stockton water resources department needs volunteers to allow for the testing from the home's faucet.
The voluntary tests would be conducted by the homeowner. City water staff will drop off a kit with bottles and instructions. The homeowner will collect the water samples and then can leave the kit outside the front door, and the water department will come back to pick it up.
"We're offering monthly lead and copper sampling to ensure our customers we don't have a problem with lead or copper leeching, said Stockton water resources acting deputy director Bob Granberg.
The voluntary testing comes on the heels of controversy over the use of chloramines to disinfect the water. The city started adding chloramines, a chemical mixture of chlorine and ammonia, in mid-January. Celebrity environmental activist Erin Brockovich posted a warning to Stockton that it could turn into the next Flint, Michigan.
Elswhere, chloramines have been linked to causing lead and copper pipes to leech into the water supplies.
Stockton municipal water says it's especially interested in testing homes built before 1993.
"Some homes that were built prior to 1993 may have lead solder in the piping within the home. That's what we're watching for, said Granberg.
City water officials say the distribution system does not use metal pipes. Granberg says the city doesn't expect to find anything in the water tests and is using the tests to ease customer concerns.
