Ohio EPA knew of lead contamination in Sebring for months

Tuesday

State environmental officials knew as early as October that residents of Sebring in MahoningCounty were drinking water contaminated with lead but did not warn the public, records show.

Instead, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency sent multiple warnings to the SebringWater Treatment Plant, demanding that operators there notify the public that tests showed elevatedlead levels. The EPA even set a deadline of Nov. 29 to notify customers of the health threat.

No warnings were issued, according to the EPA.

Tests conducted from June through September found high levels of lead in water at some olderhomes in the communities served by the Sebring plant. Lead can harm the nervous and reproductivesystems and kidneys, and is particularly harmful to young children and fetuses.

High lead levels in children can cause behavioral issues, mental retardation and learningdisabilities. And it can be fatal at high levels.

But it wasn't until Jan. 21 that the EPA issued a notice of violation to the plant, promptingpublic notification. Finally, 8,100 people who get their drinking water from the Sebring publicwater system learned they were at risk.

This week, the state is sending bottled water and testing kits to Sebring customers. Schoolsthere have been closed since Friday.

Ohio regulators say two of 123 water samples taken at schools in the northeastern Ohio communitytested above the federal limits for lead and copper.

On Tuesday, the Ohio EPA said the most recent test from Sunday at three schools inSebring found excessive lead levels in two drinking-water fountains. State officials say that 22samples showed evidence of lead that was below the federal limits; the rest had none.

On Monday, the EPA issued an emergency order barring the water-treatment plant's director, JamesBates, from working at the plant. The EPA has said that Bates falsified records to the EPA,which is calling for a criminal investigation.

Reached at home on Tuesday, Bates said he never falsified records in his 23 years there and thatthe EPA is making him a scapegoat.

He said the plant sent some public notifications in December. "We did 40 samples, and we sentall the information to the 40 people who actually (lived) where the water was tested."

The test period was June 1 to Sept. 30. When asked why notifications didn't go out sooner, Batessaid he could not answer that yet.

"That is a very good question," he said. "And I've got to wait until I get the (Ohio EPA)authorization, and then I can definitely answer that question."

Ohio EPA Director Craig Butler has called for the federal government to overhaul its regulationsover water-treatment plants.

State EPA spokeswoman Heidi Griesmer said the water-treatment plant gave the EPA incomplete dataabout its public notifications. Each time the system tested for lead, she said, the plant shouldhave notified users.

And, she said, state regulators were too lenient.

"Our field staff was too patient with the village," she said. She said the agency is conductingan internal review and is going over its operating procedures.

Melanie Houston, director of water policy and environmental health for the advocacy group OhioEnvironmental Council, said it is encouraging that the EPA is taking action.

"And the hope is that this will prevent future situations like this," Houston said. "But beyondthe director's call, we also think Ohio lawmakers don't have to wait for stronger federal rules.They can and they should take action now to protect Ohioans' drinking water."

Houston said those regulations could include more and better testing, quicker and more effectivepublic notification and better enforcement of operators who don't abide state and federalregulations.

Information from The Associated Press was included in this story.

larenschield@dispatch.com

@larenschield

State environmental officials knew as early as October that residents of Sebring in MahoningCounty were drinking water contaminated with lead but did not warn the public, records show.

Instead, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency sent multiple warnings to the SebringWater Treatment Plant, demanding that operators there notify the public that tests showed elevatedlead levels. The EPA even set a deadline of Nov. 29 to notify customers of the health threat.

No warnings were issued, according to the EPA.

Tests conducted from June through September found high levels of lead in water at some olderhomes in the communities served by the Sebring plant. Lead can harm the nervous and reproductivesystems and kidneys, and is particularly harmful to young children and fetuses.

High lead levels in children can cause behavioral issues, mental retardation and learningdisabilities. And it can be fatal at high levels.

But it wasn't until Jan. 21 that the EPA issued a notice of violation to the plant, promptingpublic notification. Finally, 8,100 people who get their drinking water from the Sebring publicwater system learned they were at risk.

This week, the state is sending bottled water and testing kits to Sebring customers. Schoolsthere have been closed since Friday.

Ohio regulators say two of 123 water samples taken at schools in the northeastern Ohio communitytested above the federal limits for lead and copper.

On Tuesday, the Ohio EPA said the most recent test from Sunday at three schools inSebring found excessive lead levels in two drinking-water fountains. State officials say that 22samples showed evidence of lead that was below the federal limits; the rest had none.

On Monday, the EPA issued an emergency order barring the water-treatment plant's director, JamesBates, from working at the plant. The EPA has said that Bates falsified records to the EPA,which is calling for a criminal investigation.

Reached at home on Tuesday, Bates said he never falsified records in his 23 years there and thatthe EPA is making him a scapegoat.

He said the plant sent some public notifications in December. "We did 40 samples, and we sentall the information to the 40 people who actually (lived) where the water was tested."

The test period was June 1 to Sept. 30. When asked why notifications didn't go out sooner, Batessaid he could not answer that yet.

"That is a very good question," he said. "And I've got to wait until I get the (Ohio EPA)authorization, and then I can definitely answer that question."

Ohio EPA Director Craig Butler has called for the federal government to overhaul its regulationsover water-treatment plants.

State EPA spokeswoman Heidi Griesmer said the water-treatment plant gave the EPA incomplete dataabout its public notifications. Each time the system tested for lead, she said, the plant shouldhave notified users.

And, she said, state regulators were too lenient.

"Our field staff was too patient with the village," she said. She said the agency is conductingan internal review and is going over its operating procedures.

Melanie Houston, director of water policy and environmental health for the advocacy group OhioEnvironmental Council, said it is encouraging that the EPA is taking action.

"And the hope is that this will prevent future situations like this," Houston said. "But beyondthe director's call, we also think Ohio lawmakers don't have to wait for stronger federal rules.They can and they should take action now to protect Ohioans' drinking water."

Houston said those regulations could include more and better testing, quicker and more effectivepublic notification and better enforcement of operators who don't abide state and federalregulations.

Information from The Associated Press was included in this story.

larenschield@dispatch.com

@larenschield

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.

Sister Publications

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
Times Reporter ~ 629 Wabash Ave. NW New Philadelphia, OH 44663 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service