First anniversary of Kent County Lead Exposure Prevention Campaign marks transition to new phase

By WKTV Staff

One year ago, the Kent County Health Department (KCHD), in partnership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the City of Grand Rapids, launched a campaign to educate Kent County residents about preventing lead exposure from older plumbing, faucets, fixtures, and water service lines.

Additionally, these agencies collaborated with community partners to distribute free drinking water filters to eligible households in Kent County.

Today, we celebrate the success of this initiative, with 11,338 homes having received filters and 6,524 replacement cartridges provided. Due to the program’s success, the MDHHS has elected to use Kent County’s educational and logistics framework to combat lead exposure in communities across the state.

“The success of this program is a testament to the strong support and collaboration from our community,” said Kent County Health Environmental Health Department Director Sara Simmonds.

“We appreciate everyone who participated and helped us in our efforts. Addressing lead exposure is crucial for the health of our residents, and we are committed to continuing this important work.”

Transition to new phase

We also announce the transition to the next phase in the fight against lead exposure. As part of this new phase, the Kent County Health and Community Action departments enhanced its website, “Get Ahead of Lead,” to serve as a one-stop resource for news, events, and important information related to lead exposure prevention.

Specifically, it features a series of tools and resources and quick guides for parents, homeowners, renters, property owners, or community resource providers. Visit gettingaheadoflead.com for more details.

“Our goal is for everyone to quickly find the resources they need to begin the process of cleaning, sealing, and maintaining their home to mitigate against the harms of lead in their home,” said Simmonds. “Sometimes eliminating lead in your home is not fully possible, so we focused the site around ways to protect you and your family by providing resources to find where lead might be, removing what is feasible, and managing what can’t be eliminated.”

One key tool is a lead safety check, which allows users to answer a few simple questions to help them understand their potential for lead exposure. The results are downloadable so that users can give them to a professional, who can do a more detailed home lead assessment. The website is also accessible to people with visual impairments and written in English and Spanish.

Additionally, this phase includes the transition to lead reduction efforts. The Kent County Board of Commissioners appropriated $3.8 million in 2022, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded Kent County $2.5 million in 2023. The Kent County Health and Community Action departments will use these funds over the next three years to develop a new lead reduction program for communities located primarily outside of the City of Grand Rapids, including contractor development.

“We are excited to embark on this next critical step in our lead reduction efforts,” said Gustavo Perez, Director of Kent County Community Action. “We are looking for contractors to help us in this endeavor and ensure that our communities are safe from the dangers of lead exposure.”