Study finds lead in tap water of Watts homes, including public housing units

A nonprofit in South L.A. has found lead in the tap water of homes in the region, including in public housing units.

Over the course of four months, volunteers with the Better Watts Initiative, the environmental justice branch of the Watts Labor Community Action Committee, fanned out across the neighborhood and gathered more than 500 water samples. The volunteers included residents from the majority Black and Latino neighborhood, as well as students from UCLA and USC.

Researchers found lead in 21 of the samples, at varying levels. The amount of lead in five of the samples exceeded 15 parts per billion, which, the researchers note, is considered a “violation of the detectable safety limit set by the EPA." Just under half the units sampled came from apartments or condos. Another 41% came from single-family homes, and the remainder from multi-family homes.

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The units also include public housing. Units at Imperial Courts and Jordan Downs had lead concentrations between 5ppb and 15ppb. The Nickerson Gardens community had levels above 15ppb.

Researchers tested several areas in Watts for lead contamination in water (shaded areas). Numbers in orange reflect the number of samples that contained lead between 5ppb and 15ppb. Numbers in red reflect the number of samples that contained lead above 15ppb.

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Courtesy Better Watts Initiative

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What happens now?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, when water systems reach this level, action is required, including replacing the lines that connect to customers.

The agency has also indicated that there is no safe level of lead in drinking water. Lead poisoning is especially harmful for children, in part because it accumulates more easily in their bloodstream. Once there, lead puts children under age 6 at risk of brain damage and other negative health impacts. About 60% of the homes in the study have at least one child under age 18.

The nonprofit released a study Wednesday detailing the findings. In it, researchers said “many injustices in Watts are a result of malign neglect on behalf of elected leaders.”

That history also surfaced through the study in other ways. Asked by researchers who they trust to provide information on water safety, residents expressed a distrust of LADWP, their local government, and healthcare providers.

Danielle Hauge, a doctoral student at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and the study’s lead researcher, hopes the findings 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 further investigate these issues.”

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said on X Thursday that she had convened leaders from LADWP and the Housing Authority to address the issue, and that testing will be conducted in Watts and at HACLA locations across the city.

"It’s absolutely unacceptable for families to not have access to safe, clean drinking water," she wrote.

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

Who’s in charge of the area’s water?

LAist reached out to the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), which owns the public housing properties. There are "19,000 low-income families, individuals, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities" in Los Angeles public housing.

In an email statement, spokesperson Courtney Harris said:

Harris also noted that, “In the past, HACLA participated in a detailed water quality study at Jordan Downs and other public housing sites in Watts, conducted by [the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power], and it was determined that there were no contamination issues with 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 has been no record of resident complaints on this matter.”

What is the response from officials?

LAist shared the study with public officials at the state and local level. So far, only L.A. city councilmember Tim McOsker has provided comment.

“Sadly, for many decades, the Watts community was left to look out for itself, which contributed to the environment today where lead levels are high in local pipes and a metal recycling center is next to a school,” he said in a statement.

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

“I will work with the Department of Water and Power and other entities to investigate and address the contamination issues raised in the report,” he added, “to immediately and urgently pursue a remedy.”