A public advisory has been issued in Benton Charter Township due to elevated lead levels detected in a recent lead testing.

Benton Charter Township Water Distribution Supervisor Mike Baldwin tells us three homes had lead levels exceeding the action level.

“So every three years we have to do lead testing as a state requirement and they have to be on houses that are known to have a lead service line. Our number is 20 that we have to get every three years. So we did that and we had three of them come back above the action level, which is 15 parts per billion.”

Baldwin says that more than 10% of the 20 samples were higher than the limit, which triggered the Action Level Exceedance warning. He notes 2700 service lines in the township, with 33 of them known to contain lead. Baldwin says residents should take the necessary steps to figure out if their residence was affected.

“They should definitely run their water for at least five minutes before drinking it,” Baldwin says. “Run cold water because hot water is more corrosive than cold water is, so it has the potential to have more, higher lead content in it.”

Baldwin says water filters will be given out to those affected once they have the supplies. Residents with questions should contact the Benton Charter Township office.

More information regarding lead in drinking water and your health can be found on the state’s website.