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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Since You Asked: Law forbids ending self-service, too ... Wolf kills livestock near Grizzly Peak ... ODOT calls for oil train moratorium after fiery derailment ... Since You Asked: Law forbids ending self-service, too ... Wolf kills livestock near Grizzly Peak ... ODOT calls for oil train moratorium after fiery derailment ... OUR VIEW Our View: Commission needs to get the lead out Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 16, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Jun. 16, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News Scattered reports of lead levels exceeding federal limits in the Medford Water Commission system are cause for concern, but not panic. It appears that, with very few exceptions, the city's water supply meets federal standards, and even those exceptions may not mean anyone's health was threatened. What's more concerning is an apparent lackadaisical attitude toward tracking down potential problems or even keeping records of where possible contamination might be. One potential problem involves "pigtails" — short, flexible pipes connecting water mains to residential meters — that contained lead when installed. Those were commonly used before 1946, and many probably have been replaced. Not all, however. The water commission board was told last month that some pigtails containing lead had been removed from system, despite being told earlier that there were no lead pipes in the ground. Water Commission Manager Larry Rains said in a written report on May 26 that "no known lead pipes exist in our system." But the commission has no detailed records of where the previous pigtails were discovered. The commission's spokeswoman now says Rains' statement didn't mean there were no lead pipes, it meant the staff didn't know where they were. Now, it turns out the Water Commission itself is flushing water lines supplying its offices in the Lausmann Annex at City Hall as a precaution because some elevated levels of metal were found in water there. In particular, water at a fire hydrant outside the building showed high levels of lead. Water from another hydrant on South Pacific Highway had a lead level of 300 parts per billion, 20 times the federal limit of 15 parts per billion for drinking water. That test was conducted in March, but only just revealed. Water that sits in pipes or fixtures containing lead for long periods of time can cause lead to accumulate. Water users don't drink from fire hydrants. And every routine test of Medford's water supply has revealed contamination levels far below federal thresholds. But water customers on the Medford system deserve to know why the Water Commission or its staff members didn't reveal reports of problems as soon as they learned of them, why there is no record of where the lead pigtails were found, and what plans there are to ensure the system is safe going forward. Medford's spring and river sources provide the city with an enviable supply of water. Once it is piped from those sources, however, there now appears to be somewhat less to envy. It is up to the Water Commission to correct that. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 16, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501