(THREE RIVERS) – The City of Three Rivers has issued an update regarding their drinking water system.

Public Services Director Amy Roth says Three Rivers has a continued lead action level exceedance for their system. The first announced lead action level exceedance was August 3, 2023. The exceedence means that locations within the City’s drinking water system have lead test results over 15 parts per billion, which is the EPA drinking water Action Level.

Tests collected between January and June 2024 also had results above 15 ppb.

Roth says the City continued sampling known lead service lines in their second round of collecting samples between January and June. Six homes had results over 15 ppb.

Lead can enter drinking water when in contact with pipes, solder, home and building interior plumbing, along with fittings and fixtures. Homes with lead service lines have an increased risk of having high lead levels in drinking water. The more time water has been sitting in your home’s pipes, the more lead it could contain.

If your water has not been used for several hours, run it before using it for drinking or cooking.

Roth says in response to the continued action level exceedance, the City is offering the following short term solutions for their drinking water customers: Free filters provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for anyone who has not yet received one and meets their current eligibility requirements.

That includes having lead or galvanized plumbing; a lead service line carrying water from the street to their residence; old faucets and fittings that were sold before 2014; and a Medicaid-enrolled child or children under the age of 19 or a Medicaid-enrolled pregnant woman living in the house.