Superfund Straight Talk September 2013
Q: How many tons of lead flow into Coeur d’Alene (CDA) Lake each year?
A: Each year about 400 tons of lead flows into CDA Lake through the CDA River and its many tributaries.
During my great grandfather’s generation the common practice was to dispose the leftovers of crushed and separated lead ore (tailings) into and alongside streams. This modified, weathered material mixes with naturally-occurring stream sediments and moves downstream, particularly during high-water events. Lead-containing sediments and natural sediments look the same. You cannot “see” lead particles in sediment, dirt and dust. If you’re not familiar with the area, see how easy it is to “Play Clean” when recreating along the CDA River, South Fork and its tributaries and chain lakes. Visit www.deq.idaho.gov/PlayClean.
Q: If the river system has metals in it, is it okay to drink tap water?
A: Yes, it’s okay. Clean public drinking water must be provided to restaurants, hotels, coffee shops and homes. If the plumbing in the establishment is old, then run the water to help flush out lead that may come from pipes. Private wells can be tested by owners and are tested when DEQ does a property cleanup to make sure the water is okay. Boiling surface water will not remove metals. So before hitting the trailhead, consider filling a canteen with drinking water.
Q: What is the real risk in playing in the dirt? Kids do not eat handfuls of dirt clods anyway.
A: When kids play on dirt with metals in it, the risk is real. The ways that kids “eat” dirt are much more subtle than swallowing chunks of mudpies. Dirt is ingested by eating before washing hands, biting fingernails, inhaling dust, or by hand-to-mouth contact (which is a toddler’s natural motion). Less than a quarter of a teaspoon of contaminated dirt can raise a child’s blood lead level.
The risk is manageable. A combination of awareness and good management practices has reduced children’s exposure to lead and has made a huge difference in the health of the community. Check out Kellogg PHD History of Blood Lead Levels and Testing results online. Also, consider that 6,600 homes, parks and schools between Mullan and Black Lake now have clean soil barriers.
Things we do every day are helping reduce risk such as: playing on designated areas and on clean yards, using clean dirt in your yard, practicing good personal hygiene, keeping clean floors and vehicles, and having the kids’ lead levels tested each summer to know the bases are covered.
To submit questions about the CDA Basin Cleanup, e-mail or call me at Denna.Grangaard@deq.idaho.gov, (208) 783-5781.
Superfund Straight Talk
Answering Community Questions about the CDA Basin Cleanup Project
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September, 2013