Southeast Michigan 2023 Lead and Copper Rule Compliance Sampling Report
Most Michigan water utilities that have lead service lines are required to collect Lead and Copper samples every year between June 1 and September 30. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) starts posting data here when they find water utilities that exceed the lead action level (15 ppb) at the end of each sampling period. They typically post most of the data collected in a calendar year in late December or January of the following year. The public data right now reflects 2023 lead action level exceedances and 2022 data for the rest of the water systems.
There are 13 total water systems in Michigan with lead action level exceedances based on sampling conducted or recalculated in 2023.
EGLE’s dataset shows several Southeast Michigan area/Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) systems that have lead action level exceedances and lead service lines:
According to new mandatory reporting on EGLE’s website, these communities have a combined up to 5,649 lead service lines. This means that residents of at least 5,649 homes in these communities have an elevated risk of exposure to lead in drinking water. This is Eastpointe’s second consecutive lead action level exceedance, and Harper Woods and Wayne’s second since Michigan revised its Lead and Copper Rule in 2018.
There are about 67 water systems that receive the same water quality from GLWA that may have a combined total of up to 330,935 lead service lines according to data published by EGLE in July 2023. The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department estimates they have up to 108,540 lead lines, only 33% of the potential total lead service lines in the metro Detroit area. The highest lead 90th percentile in a GLWA community without lead service lines was 3 ppb, and the highest 90th percentile in a community with lead service lines was 47 ppb.
Michigan will be lowering its lead action level to 12 ppb in 2025. There are currently 28 water systems in Michigan that exceed 12 ppb, including St. Joseph, Allen Park, Grand Rapids, Garden City, Hazel Park, and Taylor representing a combined population of 553,644 and up to 20,239 lead service lines.
Bottom line: There is no safe level of lead in drinking water; the lead action level of 15 ppb and the future 12 ppb level do not indicate public health protection. These triggers indicate an elevated risk of exposure to lead in drinking water. A significant portion of the metro Detroit area is currently having a lead action level exceedance, and the building blocks for elevated lead in water are present in many communities beyond those currently experiencing an exceedance.
Here’s what you can do to protect yourself and your family from lead in water:
Use premixed formula, a filter that meets NSF standard 53 for lead reduction, or bottled water if preparing formula for an infant.
Use a filter that meets NSF standard 53 for lead reduction for all water used for drinking or cooking.
If you don’t have a filter, let water run 3 to 5 minutes before drinking to flush out lead, 5 minutes if you have a lead service line.
Always use cold water for drinking and cooking.