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ResolutionLAPSED

Resolution 160089

Authorizing the Committee on Children and Youth and the Committee on Public Health and Human Services to conduct hearings concerning best practices followed by the Philadelphia Water Department as well as additional measures to prevent lead exposure due to household water service lines.

Introduced Jan 28, 2016Joint Committees on Children & Youth and Public Health & Human ServicesOfficial record: City of Philadelphia via Legistar

Introduced by

Councilmember GymCouncilmember Reynolds BrownCouncilmember Quiñones SánchezCouncilmember GreenCouncilmember BlackwellCouncilmember TaubenbergerCouncilmember JohnsonCouncilmember GreenleeCouncilmember DombCouncilmember JonesCouncilmember OhCouncil President ClarkeCouncilmember HenonCouncilmember ParkerCouncilmember O'Neill

Status timeline

  1. Jan 28, 2016Introduced and Ordered Placed on This Week's Final Passage Calendar · CITY COUNCIL
  2. Jan 28, 2016ADOPTED & REFERRED · CITY COUNCIL
  3. Mar 21, 2016HEARING NOTICES SENT · Joint Committees on Children & Youth and Public Health & Human Services
  4. Mar 21, 2016HEARING HELD · Joint Committees on Children & Youth and Public Health & Human Services
  5. Mar 21, 2016RECESSED · Joint Committees on Children & Youth and Public Health & Human Services

Official documents

Documents open on the City of Philadelphia’s legislative site.

Full text

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..Title Authorizing the Committee on Children and Youth and the Committee on Public Health and Human Services to conduct hearings concerning best practices followed by the Philadelphia Water Department as well as additional measures to prevent lead exposure due to household water service lines. ..Body WHEREAS, A man-made crisis in Flint, Michigan, wherein the city's water source was switched as a cost-saving measure without adequate testing or protective measures, has drawn national attention to the potential danger posed by water-borne lead; and WHEREAS, Lead exposure has been demonstrated to have significant and permanent damaging effects on neurological development, particularly affecting babies and children; and WHEREAS, Household water has been estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency to compose 10-20% of recorded human exposure to lead, and 40-60% for babies using formula; and WHEREAS, Federal regulation through the 1991 Lead and Copper Rule prescribes a regime of testing as well as preventative and reactive measures in order to limit the presence of lead in household water; and WHEREAS, Unlike the situation in Flint, the Philadelphia Water Department engages in regular lead testing and deploys anti-corrosion treatment to ensure water quality, as well as seeks to follow best practices in reducing the risk of lead exposure to safe levels; and WHEREAS, Some dwellings within Philadelphia still contain aged lead service lines or lead components; and WHEREAS, Homeowners and renters may not be aware of measures that can reduce lead exposure, ranging from pipe replacement to running water for set time periods before use; and WHEREAS, Philadelphia City Council has demonstrated that preventing lead exposure is a top priority; and WHEREAS, Public education and an affirmative abatement regime are important components in further reducing the risk of lead exposure through water; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Authorizes hearings to be conducted concerning best practices followed by the Philadelphia Water Department as well as additional measures to prevent lead exposure due to household water service lines. ..End