By Kevin Coughlin
Although hospital officials say elevated lead levels detected in water at Morristown Medical Center last month were confined to the hospital at 100 Madison Ave., an employee child care center on South Street received meals from the hospital that may have been prepared with lead-tainted water.
“We have proactively reached out to communicate information to affected families” who use the Atlantic Health System center at 475 South St., hospital spokeswoman Elaine Andrecovich said in statement on Friday.
The Morris Township location houses The Children’s Corner, a daycare center run by the Greater Morristown YMCA for children aged six weeks to 5 years of Atlantic Health employees.
While there is no “safe” level of lead in the bloodstream, too much exposure to the toxic metal can cause “serious health problems” — with the greatest risk to “infants, young children, and pregnant women,” according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
“Scientists have linked the effects of lead on the brain with lowered IQ in children. Lead is stored in the bones, and it can be released later in life. During pregnancy, the child receives lead from the mother’s bones, which may affect brain development,” states the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule.
Andrecovich said the hospital is prepared to provide blood tests.
Morristown Medical Center shut off taps and switched to bottled water for drinking and cooking on Feb. 25, 2016.
The federal threshold for remedial action in water systems is 15 parts per billion of lead.
Water samples taken from the hospital on Feb. 26, 2016, showed a high reading of 326 parts per billion of lead. Twenty-nine of 39 samples exceeded 15 ppb, as analyzed by a state lab.
A hotline (855-635-4657) is fielding calls from the public, and the hospital says it will follow federal guidelines for notifying its “higher risk population.” The hospital estimates the potential exposure occurred between Jan. 22 and Feb. 25.
PUMP MALFUNCTION?
A faulty pump may be to blame, Andrecovich said on Friday, responding to questions from Morristown Green.
The hospital suspects a pump failed to inject sufficient amounts of orthophosphate, an anti-corrosion treatment intended to prevent lead solder from leaching through its copper pipes.
Investigators from the state Department of Environmental Protection have cited the hospital for allowing this corrosion control system to go offline for an “undetermined period.”
“At this time, and working with the DEP, we are investigating the possibility that an inadequate amount of orthophosphate may have been injected into the water treatment system due to a malfunctioning component of that system. This is an ongoing and active investigation,” Andrecovich said on Friday.
The hospital sees no need to replace its water delivery system, which draws water from a private well on hospital property.
“It is neither feasible nor warranted to change the piping system,” Andrecovich said. The pump is operational again, she said, and “we are working with our experts and the DEP to determine our next steps.”
The well has tested clean of lead, officials say. Morristown’s municipal water comes from a different system unaffected by this situation.
Morristown Medical Center is required to conduct semi-annual tests for lead; the last round was in September and levels were “acceptable,” according to the hospital.
So how was Jan. 22 identified as the potential start of the problem?
“Jan. 22 was the last time we received results that indicated an acceptable level of orthophosphate in the water,” Andrecovich said. “Acceptable orthophosphate levels are an indication that lead levels in the water are maintained within acceptable limits.”
A vendor tests orthophosphate levels biweekly, the hospital spokeswoman said. On Feb. 8, the hospital learned that this level was “not acceptable.” Adjustments were made to the pump, she said. But orthophosphate levels remained low on Feb. 16.
“During this time, the orthophosphate pump was believed to be working, however, it appears that inadequate amounts of orthophosphate were being injected into the system,” Andrecovich said.
Lead sampling was done on Feb. 22. Morristown Medical Center received results late on Feb. 24, reviewed them with the DEP on Feb. 25, and “collectively agreed” with the DEP to switch to bottled water, Andrecovich said.
The DEP did not respond Friday to requests for comment.
LEAD HAZARDS?
Concerned individuals should call the hospital hotline to determine whether they should have a blood test, Andrecovich advised.
Citing the ongoing investigation, which also involves the state Department of Health, the spokeswoman declined to discuss potential hazards posed by lead levels detected at Morristown Medical Center.
The EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule, enacted in 1991 and last revised in 2007, says this about lead:
Lead can cause serious health problems if too much enters your body from drinking water or other sources. It can cause damage to the brain and kidneys, and can interfere with the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of your body. The greatest risk of lead exposure is to infants, young children, and pregnant women. Scientists have linked the effects of lead on the brain with lowered IQ in children. Adults with kidney problems and high blood pressure can be affected by low levels of lead more than healthy adults. Lead is stored in the bones, and it can be released later in life. During pregnancy, the child receives lead from the mother’s bones, which may affect brain development.
FEDERAL EPA FACTS ABOUT LEAD IN WATER
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