A nonprofit organization in South Los Angeles has found lead in the tap water of many households in the area, including those in public housing.

Over the course of four months, volunteers from the Better Watts Initiative, the environmental law arm of the Watts Labor Community Action Committee, spread throughout the neighborhood and collected more than 500 water samples. The volunteers included residents of the majority black and Latino neighborhood as well as students from UCLA and USC.

The researchers found lead in varying concentrations in 21 of the samples. The amount of lead in five of the samples exceeded 15 parts per billion, which the researchers said is “considered a violation of the detection limit set by the EPA.” Nearly half of the units sampled were from apartments or condominiums. Another 41% were from single-family homes and the rest were from multi-family homes.

The housing units include public housing. The units in Imperial Courts and Jordan Downs had lead concentrations between 5 and 15 ppb. The Nickerson Gardens housing complex had levels above 15 ppb.

What happens next?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, when water systems reach this level, Action is neededincluding replacing the lines leading to customers.

The agency also pointed out that there is no safe level of lead in drinking water. Lead poisoning is particularly harmful to children, partly because lead accumulates more easily in their bloodstream. Once there, lead exposes children under 6 years of age with the risk of brain damage and other negative health effects. About 60% of the households surveyed have at least one child under the age of 18.

The non-profit organization published a study Wednesday detailing the findings. In it, the researchers said, “many inequities in Watts are the result of malicious neglect on the part of elected officials.”

This history emerged in other ways in the study, too. When researchers asked who they trusted for water safety information, residents expressed distrust of LADWP, their local government and health care providers.

Danielle Hauge, a doctoral student at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and lead researcher on the study, hopes the results will lead to more comprehensive testing.

“This was a preliminary study where we collected small amounts of water,” she said. “But ultimately it’s the government’s job to investigate these questions further.”

The Biden-Harris administration and the Environmental Protection Agency recently announced a $26 million grant to protect children in schools and daycare centers from drinking lead.

Who is responsible for the water in the region?

LAist contacted the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), which owns the public residential propertiesLos Angeles’ public housing is home to “19,000 families, individuals, seniors and low-income people.”

In an email statement, spokeswoman Courtney Harris said:

Harris also noted, “HACLA has previously participated in a detailed water quality study at Jordan Downs and other public housing developments in Watts conducted by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. It found that there were no contamination issues in HACLA’s plumbing systems.”

HACLA has “a well-established and well-known process for residents to submit complaints and concerns, which are always addressed promptly,” she added. “To date, there is no record of resident complaints regarding this matter.”

What is the reaction of the officials?

LAist has shared the study with state and local officials. So far, only LA City Council member Tim McOsker has commented.

“Unfortunately, the community of Watts was left to its own devices for decades, contributing to the current environment where local pipes have high levels of lead and Metal recycling center is located next to a school,” he said in a statement.

McOsker also said he discussed the issue with the Watts Neighborhood Council on Tuesday night.

“I will work with the Ministry of Water and Energy and other agencies to investigate and address the contamination issues raised in the report,” he added, “to provide immediate and urgent remedial action.”