GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Some people in Kent County are eligible for a free water filter. It's in an effort to prevent lead exposure in drinking water.
Kent County Health Department (KCHD) and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) have partnered for a campaign to educate and prevent lead exposure.
Many houses in the county contain older plumbing, often using lead pipes. This also includes faucets, fixtures and water service lines.
"There's no safe level of lead in the human body," said Dr. Adam London, KCHD Health Officer. "It's especially true with children, where lead exposure can cause problems with a child's development, including the development of their growth, they're learning, hearing and behavioral problems."
The campaign offers free certified lead-reducing drinking water filters for many people. Those qualifications include households with lead service line or lead plumbing, as well as the following:
- A child under 18 or a pregnant woman lives in the home, and
- A member of the household is enrolled in Medicaid or WIC, and
- The household is unable to afford a filter.
"A distribution like this, where it is focused on those who might not be able to access it," said Melinda Ysasi, Grand Rapids City Commissioner for the 2nd Ward, "Or who might be receiving some of our state benefits, just says we're going to focus on equitable outcomes in our city, and no one should be denied, even if they're unable to purchase one of the filters."
Kent County residents should visit gettingaheadoflead.com to learn more information, register for a time to pick up their filter, and complete a short survey.
There are a few distributions of the filters, beginning June 22.
- City of Grand Rapids Filter Distribution
- 124 Martin Luther King Jr. Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506
- Operational Hours:
- Thursday, June 22 ∙ 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Monday, June 26 ∙ 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Wednesday, June 28 ∙ 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
- Thursday, July 6 ∙ 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Saturday, July 8 ∙ 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- City of Kentwood Filter Distribution
- Kentwood Public Schools - Facilities and Operations Building, 6160 Valley Lane Dr. S.E., Kentwood, MI 49508
- Operational Hours:
- Friday, June 23 ∙ 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Tuesday, June 27 ∙ 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Thursday, June 29 ∙ 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 5 ∙ 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Additional pick-up locations will be announced in the weeks ahead.
"Water is a very important thing for life," said Sarah Lyon-Callo, interim senior deputy director of Public Health Administration for MDHHS, "It's very healthy to drink water, but it is also corrosive. And what can happen over time is that as water runs over surfaces, it can start to dissolve."
RELATED VIDEO: Grand Rapids announces lead pipe replacement plan
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