Letters to the Editor
To our residents:
The City understands resident concerns regarding the recent notification related to elevated lead levels in the water. I will begin with providing some background information.
On February 10, ODEQ required public works authority personnel to collect water samples from 40 homes in the city. Samples were collected at the faucet inside the house. The random list of addresses was generated by ODEQ and sent to Newcastle. Twenty of the homes sampled were completed and five of those samples, or 10% indicated elevated levels of lead. The additional twenty homes sampled are still being reviewed.
On March 13 at approximately 4 p.m., the public works authority received an e-mail from ODEQ containing a “Lead Action Level Exceedance.” This required public notification within 24-hours to all residents served by the water system. On March 14, the notification was distributed as required. The testing for lead and copper is part of new requirements mandated by EPA. The testing requirement did not occur due to issues with the city’s water system.
Two facts: It is common to find elevated lead levels in older homes where plumbing materials used during construction may contain lead solder joints, fittings, galvanized pipes, etc.
It is not common to find elevated lead levels in source water. Over the next few weeks, Newcastle Public Works Authority will be working with ODEQ on next steps to rule out any possible issues with Newcastle’s drinking water. This will include further sampling requirements from various locations and sources.
All residents are encouraged to visit the city’s website at www.newcastleok. gov for detailed information.
The City of Newcastle is committed to continuing providing safe drinking water for our residents and businesses.
Additional information will be provided as needed. Thank you, Kevin Self
Newcastle City Manager
Kevin Self Newcastle City Manager
