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thedrifter
02-23-06, 08:40 AM
Pendleton to treat high lead in water
Copper plumbing is focus of repair
By Mike Lee and Sherry Saavedra
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS

February 23, 2006

Camp Pendleton brass said yesterday it is on its way to resolving lead contamination of the base's southern drinking-water system.

The announcement comes about five months after military officials announced they had found elevated levels of lead in various water samples.

More than 1,400 lead tests have been conducted since September, the Marines said. They also said more than 630 blood-lead level tests were taken during the same period, with all being negative.

The tainted water, base officials said, was caused by copper plumbing or fixtures, which can contain trace amounts of lead – not by the well water or the main delivery pipes.

To ward off future problems, Camp Pendleton leaders plan to start a pipe and water treatment program to limit corrosion and keep down levels of metal in the southern system. That network serves more than 5,000 homes, youth centers and three public schools.

“We're taking these important steps to ensure our water remains within state and federal standards,” Col. John C. Coleman, commanding officer at the base, said in a press release. “We want our Marines, sailors and their families to have full confidence in the quality of water they drink.”

Base officials said their plan for adding compounds to the water was approved by the state Department of Health Services, which dinged the base in December for altering its water treatment program without notifying the state.

In that letter, state health regulators suggested that the Marines' 2003 decision to end polyphosphate treatments of their southern water pipes might have caused the elevated lead levels that were made public in September.

Polyphosphate is a compound commonly used by water agencies to control problems with metals such as copper in water supplies.

Camp Pendleton officials have said that the lack of polyphosphate treatments had nothing to do with the lead problems. Yesterday they said they were starting treatment with another phosphate chemical, orthophosphate, to coat the inside of the pipes.

They also plan to add caustic soda to stabilize the water's pH balance. Acidic water can increase corrosion inside pipes and boost the amount of metals in the water.

The Marines and their engineering consultant suspect that the base water turned slightly acidic last summer and contributed to the elevated lead levels. The declined to speculate on what caused the “aggressive” water.

When the problems were detected, Camp Pendleton offered free lead and blood-lead level screening for base water users.

At the time, residents were warned to run their taps for several seconds before drinking the water as a way to flush out any contaminants. Those recommendations remain in effect, according to a base press officer.

The Marines said yesterday that none of the 1,317 families on the base-housing waiting list have asked to be removed because of water concerns.

As a precaution, Camp Pendleton has been importing 15,000 to 25,000 gallons a week of bottled water to base housing, schools and youth centers.

None of the base schools had received notices yesterday that the water was safe to drink. However, school officials said the Marines have been great about providing bottled water.

“Now it's part of the classroom routine,” said Lynne Gilstrap, principal of Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary School, an on-base campus that is part of the Fallbrook Union Elementary School District. “You come in and get your drink. There are water containers for every classroom. The kids think it's fun.”

Gilstrap said she wasn't aware of parents receiving any updated notification about the water.

Laura Chalkley, spokeswoman for the Oceanside Unified School District, which has two affected elementaries, contacted base officials yesterday. She said she was told that the military anticipates delivering bottled water to the campuses through the rest of the school year.

The next water testing mandated by the California Department of Health Services is in March.

Mike Lee: (619) 542-4570; mike.lee@uniontrib.com

Anti-corrosion plan

Camp Pendleton will try two compounds in a bid to prevent the leaching of lead into its southern drinking-water system.

Orthophosphate – used to limit corrosion in metal pipes. The compound coats the inside of pipes, reducing the possibility of lead leaching.

Caustic soda – used to neutralize acidic solutions. It is expected to maintain water's pH balance and limit “aggressive” qualities that might contribute to lead leaching.

Ellie