Wave Staff Report
WATTS — Mayor Karen Bass is turning to the federal government for assistance in getting rid of lead contamination recently found in water supplies in three public housing projects in Watts.
Bass visited the community again Oct. 5, this time accompanied by Michael Regan, an administrator with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“When news first broke about there possibly being lead in some faucets here in Watts, I said that this was going to require a whole of government approach. That’s what you see here,” Bass said. “We are taking the environmental contamination issues in Watts seriously, and we are committed to working with our federal, state and local partners to ensure Watts residents live in safe conditions, breathe clean air and drink clean water.
“Everyone deserves access to clean air and clean water, and thanks to partnership with our EPA administrator, we are creating environmental strides and we are creating environmental equity in an area that deserves more.”
Bass and Regan visited Watts, joined by City Councilman Tim McOsker, who represents the community on the council, and community leaders Tim Watkins of the Watts Labor Community Action Committee and Thelmy Alvarez.
“We cannot solve these problems from behind a desk in Washington D.C.,” Regan said after his visit to Watts. “I heard directly from residents and advocates who are bearing the brunt of environmental injustices in their backyards, including serious concerns about lead in drinking water.
“I want to assure the Watts community and all communities that EPA and the Biden-Harris administration will work with local leaders like Mayor Karen Bass to tackle these problems head on.”
Last month, the City Council instructed the Department of Water and Power and the city’s Housing Authority to investigate and verify the levels of lead contamination and make any necessary repairs.
Since then, the DWP has mobilized nearly 2,000 sample kits in partnership with the Housing Authority and is processing close to 1,000 water quality samples, dedicating a specialized team to ensure a prompt investigation of water quality that impacts the health and safety of residents.
THE DWP also is providing mobile hydration stations equipped with filtration systems to ensure residents are safe while the water studies are being conducted. The agency also has conducted tests to verify that the source of potential lead is not from the city’s drinking water system. Officials said the tests have consistently indicated that the city’s water supply is safe and meets the highest environmental standards.
“We have worked closely in collaboration with city leaders and [the Housing Authority] to test both our water distribution lines, which are free of lead, and those on private and city properties,” said Janisse Quiñones, CEO and chief engineer of the DWP. “Our top priority will always be the health, safety and well-being of our customers and we are determined to do whatever is necessary to ensure that.”
The Housing Authority is working closely with resident leaders, community coaches and green ambassadors, holding weekly briefings to keep residents informed, involve them in the testing and to address any questions or concerns that arise.
“Our mission to improve the quality of life for Angelenos doesn’t stop with just a place to reside, but a place to call home and home should be a place where people feel protected and safe,” said Marlene Garza, interim president and CEO of the city of Los Angeles Housing Authority. “As an agency dedicated to housing and serving some of the most marginalized members of our society, we have seen firsthand the impacts of environmental injustice and the disproportionate impact they often have on our communities. “Leaning into solutions to these inequities definitely requires an all-government approach and we are deeply grateful to Mayor Bass for her dedication and the Environmental Protection Agency for their swift action as we seek to collectively resolve this issue.”
The Housing Authority also is working with the county Department of Public Health in providing additional resources and guidance to tenants, including free onsite blood testing for lead. The free testing is starting at Nickerson Gardens and will go to all public housing sites in Watts.
Starting next month, the DWP will begin distributing flyers to encourage greater participation in the DWP’s home water testing program. The initiative is part of the ongoing efforts to ensure safe, clean drinking water for all residents in Watts.
“For too long, the Watts community has suffered environmental injustices through neglect, but now, by working with community leaders and organizations like Tim Watkins, the WLCAC, and the Better Watts Initiative, we have an opportunity to right these historic wrongs,” Councilman McOsker said. “Together, we can ensure that every child and every family in Watts has access to clean, safe drinking water.
“Since the release of the Better Watts Initiative’s study, I have been working with Mayor Bass and our local agencies to address this critical issue, and I’m grateful that EPA Administrator Michael Regan was able to join us … to help find solutions and show our residents that this problem will be vigorously pursued, and no longer pushed aside and ignored.”
