Lead On: A city resolution
HEENA SRIVASTAVA: From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Heena Srivastava.
KALEN LUCIANO: And I’m Kalen Luciano. This is Lead On.
THOMAS SUFFREDIN: Our next item that was pulled was item A10, I think that was yours Robin, right?
ROBIN RUE SIMMONS: Yes, staff recommends City Council adopt the resolution 11-R-21 to approve the representative testing of samples for lead and copper in all nine wards. I move approval.
OTHER ALDERMEN: Second.
ROBIN RUE SIMMONS: Thank you.
HEENA SRIVASTAVA: Evanston City Council voted Monday night, January 25, to pass a resolution mandating representative water testing. This means that Evanston will now be required to collect at least three water samples to test for lead and copper from each of the city’s nine wards. 5th Ward Ald. Robin Rue Simmons spearheaded this effort.
Lead On: A federal rule full of holes
For about three decades, Evanston has collected nearly 440 water samples for lead testing. 60% came from the historically White and wealthy 6th and 7th wards. Only 1.8% came from the historically Black 5th Ward.
HEENA SRIVASTAVA: When my co-reporter Kalen and I started reporting this story, it was based on one of those hunches you really hope isn’t true one of those stories where, if you were wrong, it meant people were doing their jobs well. But if you were right, it meant Evanston officials were neglecting residents, and they were paying the price.
Lead On: Drinking from a lead straw
DARRELL KING: We’re in full compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule.
TOM NELTNER: So who you’re going to miss are typically working families. You might miss younger families.
DARRELL KING: Well, most of the time, it just really comes down to access. You’d be amazed at how difficult it is to get people to participate.
ROBIN RUE SIMMONS: I disagree with there being barriers. That is an excuse that I would not tolerate going forward. We have families that need to know if they are vulnerable to unhealthy lead levels in their water.