Analytical Support for the Drinking Water Emergency in Flint, Michigan
Analytical Support for the Drinking Water Emergency in Flint, Michigan

Helping 100,000 Residents Affected by Elevated Lead Levels in Local Water Supply
Lead contamination found in the drinking water in Flint, Michigan had a catastrophic impact on the community and its residents. CSS supported EPA’s response to the crisis by providing mobile and fixed analytical laboratory services and data review. Over a nine-month period, our chemists analyzed and/or reviewed more than 3,400 samples. To meet the fast turn-around required for analytical results, CSS identified and adapted a standard method (522.2 Haloacetic Acids) and performed specialty analytical methods that were not commercially available. In addition, we supported a health pilot study to assess potential chemical sources of rashes reported by affected residents. The analytical data produced by CSS for the Flint response was used by the EPA to ensure that corrective actions were working and that the water was safe for human consumption.
Additional Projects

Procedures, Plans, and Training to Support Emergency Response
CSS provided health and safety, field, and analytical support for EPA’s Consequence Management Advisory Division.

Supporting EPA’s Emergency Response Efforts following Hurricane Harvey
CSS staff served as lead technical advisors on a multi-agency environmental response team after Hurricane Harvey.

Analysis for Coastal Operational Resiliency
CSS assisted with planning and executing a demonstration of three decontamination technologies on a USCG vessel contaminated with a benign surrogate for anthrax.

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