Columbia is preparing to test for lead in their water in the next few weeks

Columbia will be testing their water for lead in the next few weeks.

Every three years the city tests their water for contamination. The last test they held, only one household tested positive for lead.

Utility Services Specialist for the city’s Water and Light department, Connie Kacprowicz says they have tried to be proactive in preventing poisoning for years. “In Columbia it’s nice that we have high quality water as well as made that effort 30 years ago to start replacing any lead pipes in our system.”

Older houses are the most at risk of still having lead pipes.

If homeowners want to test their own water, they can buy lead tests at local home improvement stores.

Lead poisoning can be very serious and can lead to stomach pains, vomiting, muscle aches, and even neurological problems in children.

A prevention method is to run cold water through pipes for about a minute before drinking it.