February 2016


www.hamptonroadsmessenger.com How Clean is Your Tap Water?


it. For homes served by public water systems, data on lead in tap water may be available on the Internet from your local water authority. If your wa- ter provider does not post this infor- mation, you should call and find out. Does a high lead level water


tap cause health


in my effects?


High levels of lead in tap water can cause health effects if the lead in the water enters the bloodstream and causes an elevated blood lead level. Most studies show that expo-


How does lead get into my tap water? Measures taken during the last two decades have greatly reduced ex- posures to lead in tap water. These measures include actions taken un- der the requirements of the 1986 and 1996 amendments to


the Safe


Drinking Water Act (www.epa.gov/ sdwa) and the U.S. Environmental Protection


Agency’s (EPA’s) Lead


and Copper Rule (www.epa.gov/ dwreginfo/lead-and-copper-rule). Even so, lead still can be found interior


in some metal water taps,


water pipes, or pipes connecting a house to the main water pipe in the street. Lead found in tap water usu- ally comes from the


corrosion of


older fixtures or from the solder that connects pipes. When water sits in leaded pipes for several hours, lead can leach into the water supply. How do I know if my tap wa-


ter is contaminated with lead? The only way to know whether


your tap water contains lead is to have it tested. You cannot see, taste, or smell lead in drinking water. There- fore, you must ask your water pro- vider whether your water has lead in


sure to lead-contaminated water alone would not be likely to elevate blood lead levels in most adults, even ex- posure to water with a lead content close to the EPA action level for lead of 15 parts per billion (ppb). Risk will vary, however, depending on the individual,


the circumstances, and


the amount of water consumed. For example, infants who drink formula prepared with lead-contaminated wa- ter may be at a higher risk because of the large volume of water they consume relative to their body size. What can I do to reduce or lead


eliminate in my tap water? If your tap water contains lead at


levels exceeding EPA’s action level of 15 ppb, you should take action to minimize your exposure to the lead in the water. You should begin by asking your water authority these questions: 1. Does my water have lead above EPA’s action


in it lev-


el of 15 parts per billion (ppb)? If the


no, no action is needed. If the ask


also the


answer is yes, next


question: 2. Does the service pipe at the


street (header pipe) have lead in it? This information is very impor- tant. It determines which of the next


Zika Virus: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment


you develop the symptoms de- scribed above and have visited an area where Zika is found. If you have recently trav- eled, tell your healthcare provid- er when and where you traveled. Your healthcare provider


Symptoms


Zika virus become ill (i.e., develop Zika). The most common symptoms of


About 1 in 5 people infected with


Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, or con- junctivitis (red eyes). Other common symptoms include muscle pain and headache. The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) for Zika virus disease is not known, but is likely to be a few days to a week. The illness is usual- mild


ly


ing for several days to a week. Zika


in the blood of an infected per- son for a few days but it can be found longer in some people. Severe disease requir- hospitalization


ing Diagnosis Deaths are rare.


The symptoms of Zika are simi- lar to those of dengueand chikun- gunya, diseases spread through the same mosquitoes that transmit Zika. See your healthcare provider if


is uncommon. virus usually with


symptoms last- remains


cations vent


Treat the symptoms: Get


aminophen to relieve fever and pain. Do not take aspirin and oth-


Drink fluids to prevent dehydration. Take


plenty medicine such


infections. of rest. as


acet-


er non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and naproxen. Aspirin and NSAIDs should be avoided until dengue can be ruled out to reduce the risk of hemorrhage (bleeding). If you are taking medi- cine for another medical condition, talk to your healthcare provider be- fore taking additional


mosquito bites[PDF – 2 pages] for the first week of your illness. During the first week of infection, Zika virus can be found in the blood and passed from an infected person to an- other mosquito through mosquito bites. An infected mosquito can then spread the virus to other people. CDC.GOV


If you have Zika, prevent


Treatment No vaccine or medi- available Zika


or treat are to pre- dengue or chikungunya.


may order blood tests to look for Zika or other similar viruses like


The Hampton Roads Messenger 5


two actions (A or B) you should fol- low to protect your household’s health. A) If the pipe in the street (header


pipe) DOES NOT have lead, the lead in your tap water may be coming from fixtures, pipes, or elsewhere inside your home. Until you eliminate the source, you should take the following steps any time you wish to use tap wa- ter for drinking or cooking, especially when the water has been off and sit- ting in the pipes for more than 6 hours: a. Before using any tap water for


drinking or cooking, flush your water system by running the kitchen tap (or any other tap you take drinking or cooking water from) on COLDfor 1–2 minutes; b. Then, fill a clean container(s) with water from this tap. This water will be suitable for drinking, cook- ing, preparation of baby formula, or other consumption. To conserve water, collect multiple containers of water at once (after you have fully flushed the water from the tap as described). B) If the pipe at the street (header


answer is for


pipe) DOES contain lead, lead in the tap water may be coming from that pipe or connected pipes (it may also be coming from sources inside your home).Until the lead source is eliminat- ed, you should take the following steps any time you wish to use tap water for drinking or cooking, especially when the water has been off and sitting in the pipes for more than 6 hours. Please note that additional flushing is necessary: a. Before using any tap water drinking


or cooking, run high-


volume taps (such as your shower) on COLD for 5 minutes or more; b. Then, run the kitchen tap on


COLD for 1–2 additional minutes; c. Fill a clean container(s) with water from this tap. This water will be suitable


for drinking, Museum FROM PAGE 1 African American culture.” Juror Jones told the featured


artist how instrumental they are in documenting what is happening now: “Art is a reflection of society, and as artists, you, the New Power Generation, are the visual recorders of contemporary American society, and [you] have a responsibility to be true to yourselves and to your communities by telling your own stories and your own truths so that the collective story of the African American Diasporic people will not and cannot be rewritten.”


exhibition opening, awards were given for several


During the New Power Generation categories. The winners


are as follows: John Biggers' Drawing Award - Jackie Merritt, "Twisted" She is from Hampton, VA; Lorraine Bolton Mixed Media Award - Gwendolyn Aqui-Brooks, "Aminia" Washington, DC; Reuben V. Burrell Photography Award - Gregory Adams, "R. V. Burrell # 1, Hampton, VA; Elizabeth Catlett


Printmaking Award, Eleanor Neal, Untitled # 2, Atlanta, Georgia; The Joseph Gilliar Ceramics Award, L. Prenell Johnson, "Rites of Passage", Norfolk, VA; Barbara Fost Computer Digital Art Award, Yvette Winder, "Deep Thought", Fayetteville, GA; Samella S. Lewis Painting Award, E. Richard Clark, "Washerwoman Series #10, Decatur, GA; The Viktor Lowenfeld Sculpture Award, Richard Ward, "Big Jit" Hampton, VA; Museum Purchase Award - Alexis Joyner, "Innocence" Elizabeth City, NC.


The


by The Hampton Chapter of the Links, Incorporated;


awards were sponsored The Greater


Williamsburg Women’s Association and The Hampton Roads Messenger.


Visiting the Hampton University Museum and the New Power Generation exhibition during African American History Month will provide an amusing and educational excellent adventure for the entire family.


Get a jump on your competition... medication. Advertise.


Call the Hampton Roads Messenger at 757-575-1863


cooking,


preparation of baby formula, or other consumption. To conserve water, col- lect multiple containers of water at once (after you have fully flushed the water from the tap as described). 3. In all situations, drink or cook


only with water that comes out of the tap cold. Water


levels lead. Boil-


of the tap warm or hot can contain much higher


that comes out of


ing this water will NOT reduce the amount of lead in your water. 4. You can also reduce or elimi-


nate your exposure to lead in drinking water by consuming only bottled wa- ter or water from a filtration system that has been certified by an indepen- dent testing organization to reduce or eliminate lead. See resources below. 5. Children and pregnant women


are especially vulnerable to the effects of lead exposure. Therefore, for homes with children or pregnant women and with water lead levels exceeding EPA’s action level of 15 ppb, CDC recom- mends using bottled water or water from a filtration system that has been certified by an independent testing or- ganization to reduce or eliminate lead for cooking, drinking, and baby for- mula preparation. Because most bot- tled water does not contain fluoride, a fluoride supplement may be necessary. Also, some bottled waters have


not been tested and may not be appro- priate for consumption. Contact inde- pendent testing organizations that cer- tify bottled water. See resources below.


6. Make sure that repairs to cop- per pipes do not use lead solder. Advice for lead safe water prac-


tices after plumbing work in housing with lead water lines or lead solder. These


practices TAP WATER PAGE 7 include Testing water after plumbing


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