2 Midway homes test positive for elevated lead in water; city says issue likely isolated to aging pipes

MIDWAY, Ga. (WTOC) - Two homes in Midway tested positive for elevated lead levels in their drinking water, prompting a city-wide advisory over the weekend that sparked confusion and concern among residents, schools and nursing homes.

The City of Midway collected 10 water samples last month as part of routine testing. Two of those samples came back above the Environmental Protection Agency’s action level for lead, Mayor Malcolm Williams said.

“I can’t speak and say exactly what caused this, but just being around and growing up in a rural area — but you know what? It’s not just rural areas,” Williams said.

“Even in cities, old pipes is things that can happen to older homes. Some of these homes could have been probably built into the ’70s or ’80s, and once again, water samples were taken. And I just got a feeling that might be what it was.”

Williams told WTOC he believed the lead levels at the two homes were somewhere between 20 and 29 parts per billion, though he said he was not certain of the exact numbers. WTOC is working to confirm the results.

Why the city was required to notify the public

The EPA requires water systems to test for lead at the tap and compare the results to the agency’s action level of 15 parts per billion. If more than 10% of samples exceed that level, the system must notify the public and take follow-up action.

The EPA’s own health goal for lead in drinking water, however, is zero. The agency says no amount of lead exposure is considered fully safe, particularly for children.

City says issue is isolated, not systemwide

Williams said the city cannot disclose which specific areas or addresses were tested, citing privacy concerns, but confirmed both affected homeowners have been notified.

The mayor said he believes the elevated readings are tied to aging pipes on those two properties, not a problem with the city’s broader water system.

“It is up to the homeowners,” Williams said, regarding who is responsible for fixing the issue. “We’ll find out if there’s any pipes outside the home itself, but I’m going to say more likely it’s going to be on the residence, if it’s the pipes coming out of their house.”

The city says it’s waiting on final lab results, expected within days, before releasing any additional information.

Schools, nursing homes respond out of caution

Liberty County Schools announced over the weekend it was discontinuing the use of school water sources for drinking as a precaution, encouraging families to send bottled water with students.

The district later clarified to WTOC that students are being provided bottled water at school — a detail that was not made clear in the district’s original statement over the weekend.

“Our communication was intended to be proactive by ensuring that parents were informed of the situation and could make the decision they feel is best for their scholar,” the district said in a statement.

“Our priority is to keep our families informed while continuing to provide a safe environment for our students and staff.”

The district said questions about water testing and lead levels should be directed to the city, not the schools.

Residents react

The uncertainty over which homes were affected left some Midway residents concerned, even though they may not be impacted.

Midway resident Julia Telmanik said she called Williams directly after seeing the city’s advisory, and the conversation eased her concerns.

“We did end up dropping off a couple cases of water, just so that the schools had water to replace what they were using,” Telmanik said, “so that as a community member, we could help offset that burden for the school staff.”

What’s next

The city says it is waiting on final lab results to confirm the exact lead levels found at the two homes, as well as next steps for remediation. Officials say they will notify the public immediately if testing shows the issue extends beyond the two properties already identified.

WTOC will continue to follow this story and update as new information becomes available.