Duyen Tran, laboratory and pretreatment director for OMI, the company that operates the wastewater treatment plant, says the partners joined forces, in part, because of concerns about high levels of Diazinon, an insecticide, found in wastewater carried to the treatment plant through sewer pipes. If you are interested in water quality education or have questions about the proper use and disposal of household hazardous wastes, contact your county office of the Cooperative Extension Service. According to a recent two-year study, more than 50 percent of the children younger than 12 years of age in seven major Indian cities suffer from serious lead poisoning. The findings were released at an international conference on lead poisoning. The study of 22,000 people including children, pregnant women and industrial workers was done by the George Foundation, a child advocacy group.
Lead poisoning can cause permanent brain damage.
Lead poisoning is a concern, but not a major problem, in the United States where children may have been exposed to lead-based paint used on older homes. Young children may eat paint chips from exposed lead-based paint surfaces. Stomach acids dissolve the lead in the paint, allowing the lead to get into the bloodstream. The chances of getting lead poisoning from most drinking water systems in the United States is slim. Safety regulations and required monitoring of public drinking water supplies protects most consumers.