Dear Colgate Community,
I write today to provide an update on the work of the University’s engineering consultant as it relates to elevated lead levels discovered at some of the lower-campus properties last fall.
Colgate has continued to work closely with the Madison County Department of Health, the Village of Hamilton, and engineering firms GHD Consulting Services and MRB Group, contracted by the University and village respectively, to investigate potential sources of the elevated lead levels and to make recommendations for long-term mitigation.
Recent Sampling
Water sampling in affected areas conducted throughout the summer shows that lead levels have been decreasing overall, with only a single result above the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) action level in the most recent round of sampling. That sample, taken from Dana Arts Center, measured at 18.2 ppb, just slightly higher than the 15 ppb action level, and is suspected to be due to water stagnation as the building has not been in regular operation since the campus shut down earlier this year.
GHD Consulting Findings
GHD was contracted to review previous sampling records and provide guidance and recommendations to mitigate the presence of lead. This included a detailed evaluation of a selection of Colgate’s facilities and an assessment of water quality factors, patterns of water use, galvanic corrosion, and physical disturbances.
While GHD identified no single cause of the elevated lead, they observed several factors that are known to contribute to elevated lead in water, including:
- Some of Colgate’s older buildings may be serviced by lead pipe, lead goosenecks, galvanized pipe attached to lead goosenecks, and services that were partially replaced.
- Facilities constructed before 1986 may contain lead-soldered copper joints.
- Portions of the water distribution system that serves campus consist of cast iron water mains with leaded joints.
- When facilities are unoccupied, or during periods of low water usage, prolonged water stagnation may occur.
- Physical disturbances from seasonal construction or road maintenance activities, such as those that occurred in recent proximity to initial reports of elevated lead levels.
Water quality parameters measured pre- and post-water softener systems did not show conditions known to significantly influence lead corrosion. More broad analysis of water quality parameters yielded mixed results. While several indices correlate with optimal conditions, others could increase the potential for galvanic corrosion.
GHD Recommendations and Our Responses
- Continue sampling and monitoring on a regular basis. Water sampling will continue in affected areas on at least a monthly basis. While recent findings are promising, Environmental Health and Safety staff will continue to conduct routine sampling where elevated lead levels have been observed previously and periodic sampling of other campus facilities to monitor lead levels.
- Continue point-of-use mitigation through in-line and point-of-use filters until monitoring consistently demonstrates lead concentrations below the action level. Point-of-use water filters will remain in place as a general best practice and until confirmation that the low lead levels are long-term in nature. Water coolers will also remain in place.
- Continue to update water service and plumbing materials records. The University will work with the village to inventory public and private side water service.
- Mitigate the potential impact of physical disturbances by replacing lead service lines and plumbing materials, if found to be present.
- Because Colgate has limited means to control water quality in the distribution system, they should remain as a customer of the village’s water distribution system.
- Seek regulatory guidance for greater representation in the village’s LCR required compliance monitoring.
Requests for information on MRB Group report findings should be made through the Village of Hamilton.
Sincerely,
Mary Williams
Director of Environmental Health and Safety