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Group sets emergency meeting with PWSA, health officials to discuss lead exposure

PITTSBURGH — While many people have recently questioned the safety of Pittsburgh’s drinking water amid a variety of issues that the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority has had to address, others want answers about how it’s tested.

11 investigates first reported in December that significantly fewer water tests were conducted in lower income neighborhoods in the city.

RELATED: Data shows water in certain Pittsburgh neighborhoods tested more often than others

It’s a trend that continued with the latest round of tests released last month. Of 159 lead water tests in homes, 42 were in Squirrel Hill and two were in Homewood.

"There's, of course, some suspicions from our community. So how are we going to address this public health crisis when it comes to lead in the water?" said Rashad Byrdsong, the CEO of the Community Empowerment Association in Homewood.

Byrdsong called an emergency town hall meeting for Tuesday night on behalf of the association about lead exposure and its impact on lower income communities.

PWSA officials said they test the most vulnerable homes that respond to a letter and volunteer. It’s a process the utility will discuss at Tuesday’s meeting with PWSA’s interim director saying, in part: "The more testing data that we receive, the easier it will be for PWSA to identify where the problem areas lie within our drinking water service area."

Byrdsong said he hopes the meeting will produce answers.

"Let people know what is being done, what is the plan. Are houses being subjected to lead? Are children being subjected to lead poisoning?” he said.

The meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. at the Community Empowerment Association on Kelly Street in Homewood, will also focus on lead in the city’s homes that were built before 1970.