Next a recent study found toxic levels The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted Wednesday to conduct an investigation and make necessary repairs to address water contamination.
The environmental study, conducted by a team of researchers from May through August, tested tap water samples in Watts and found that the toxic metal is more likely to be present in public housing projects that still have aging, corroded lead pipes.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the amount of lead in drinking water is not considered safe.
Mayor Karen Bass said she called on leaders of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Housing Authority to address the problem.
“Testing is underway in Watts and at HACLA locations throughout Los Angeles. We are making sure the people of Los Angeles are safe,” Bass said on X.
Researchers say some Watts water samples contain lead levels higher than 15 µg/L, or 15 parts per billion. That would require infrastructure repairs and public notification of the problem, the EPA said.
Councilman Tim McOsker, who represents the Watts area, said the housing authority, the Department of Water and Energy and Mayor Karen Bass’s office “have all done their best” to address the problem, though he acknowledged their actions come “too late.”
McOsker said city staff, his office, the DWP and the housing authority have already held informational meetings in the evening for Watts residents, particularly those living in public housing managed by the city.
Courtney Harris, a spokesperson for the City of Los Angeles Housing Authority, said the agency will work with the utility and community representatives to conduct testing at the Watts housing projects and another housing project, Gonzaque Village.
The study, which calls for government-led water testing in Watts, was conducted by researchers from universities including UCLA, USC and the University of Michigan. The study was commissioned by the Better Watts Initiative, the environmental justice arm of the Watts Labor Community Action Committee, which advocates for “clean air, land and water” in the South LA neighborhood.
