PWSA plans to add a chemical to the water that is expected to bring lead levels down in homes known to have lead pipes or solder, though there is no known safe level of lead in water.
The decision to switch to a cheaper, less-effective treatment chemical was likely a major contributor to the recent spike in lead levels in Pittsburgh's drinking water.
After tests showed lead levels exceeding federal limits, the state is requiring Pittsburgh to replace its old lead water pipes. But just how much that will cost and how long it will take is anybody's guess.
The city is in compliance with federal guidelines, but lead levels detected in Pittsburgh’s drinking water in 2013 were just shy of a federal limit that prompts major corrective action.
