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November 30, 2003
Water samples tested for copper
by Associated PressGRAND ISLAND, NE (AP) -- Water samples will be taken this week from 60 homes, but officials are not checking for pollution.
The tests are being conducted to see if chemicals added to the water supply in June are reducing the corrosive nature of the city's water.
Many Grand Island homes have copper plumbing, which became popular in the 1960s. In June, ortho-polyphosphates were added to the city's water to prevent copper in those homes' plumbing from leaching into the water.
Previous tests at customers' taps showed a copper level of 3 milligrams per liter. That's above the 1.3-milligram standard set by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
"Our group . . . we have to test comes from a specific building time period," Assistant Utilities Director Bob Smith said.
Letters have been sent to the owners of homes to be tested, Smith said. The city hopes to get cooperation from the same homeowners to retest in July 2004.
The test will be the city's seventh since 1992.