U.S. Virgin Islands Drinking Water

EPA Updates on Lead in Drinking Water on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands 

The EPA continues to provide support and guidance to the Territory of USVI as they work to improve drinking water quality, following sampling in the fall of 2023 which indicated elevated levels of lead and copper in some samples from the water distribution system.

The EPA requested that the USVI Water and Power Authority (WAPA) develop and implement a public education campaign to inform customers on how to best protect themselves from lead exposure before lifting the “no drinking or consumption” advisory. With EPA’s support, WAPA developed and is now implementing their campaign, which includes recommendations that WAPA customers should clean their faucet aerators, flush water at their tap prior to consuming water from WAPA’s distribution system, filter their water to provide additional protection, and install lead-free household plumbing. With the implementation of this campaign, EPA supports the USVI’s decision to lift the “do not consume” advisory.

This follows EPA’s Sequential Sampling Study that showed levels of lead at household taps are far lower than those found at the distribution meters that were sampled in September and October of 2023 by WAPA, accompanied by EPA, the USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) and the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI).

Background:

In September and October 2023, the EPA, at the request of the USVI government, conducted a joint sampling of WAPA’s drinking water system on St. Croix, USVI, in response to reports of discolored water. The laboratory analysis revealed elevated levels of lead and copper in samples from 36 locations.

To identify the root cause of the initial high lead and copper levels, the EPA, in collaboration with WAPA and the USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR), undertook a Sequential Sampling Study. The study included investigative sampling conducted at 11 homes in St. Croix the week of November 6, 2023. The homes were selected based on the results of the previous water distribution meter sampling events and their regular use of WAPA water.

The EPA Sequential Sampling Study showed that the levels of lead at household taps are far lower than those found at the distribution meters. The EPA remains committed to working closely with the USVI government to protect all communities from potential drinking water contamination.

Recognizing that there is no safe level of lead exposure, the EPA emphasizes the importance of reducing lead exposure if contaminated water must be used, recommending measures such as flushing and the use of certified filters.

To learn more about the Sequential Sampling Study and EPA's recommendations, the public is encouraged to review the following resources:

News Release: EPA Update on Sequential Sampling Study, Next Steps to Address Lead in Drinking Water in St. Croix (December 7, 2023)
- English Translation (pdf) (142.34 KB)
- Spanish Translation (pdf) (112.36 KB)
- Haitian Creole Translation (pdf) (143.13 KB)
Fact Sheet: USVI Sequential Sampling Results (February 22, 2024)
- English Translation (pdf) (140.14 KB)
Lab Report and Results
- Final Lab Report (pdf) (425.61 KB)
- Excel Summary and Lab Results (xlsx) (114.74 KB)
St. Croix Sequential Sampling Study Report
- Final EPA St. Croix Sequential Sampling Study Report and Appendices, December 22, 2023 (pdf) (1.73 MB, December 22, 2023)

Understanding the Lead and Copper Rule

The Lead and Copper Rule established a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) of zero for lead. The MCLG is zero because there is no level of exposure to lead that is without risk. 

However, because lead contamination of drinking water often results from corrosion of the plumbing materials belonging to water system customers, EPA established a treatment technique rather than a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for lead. The lead action level is a measure of the effectiveness of the corrosion control treatment in water systems. The action level is not a health-based standard for establishing a safe level of lead in a home. To check if corrosion control is working, EPA requires water systems to test for lead at the tap in certain homes, including those with lead service lines. Systems compare sample results from homes to EPA’s action level of 0.015 mg/L (15 ppb). If 10 percent of the samples from these homes have water concentrations that are greater than the action level, then the system must perform actions such as public education and lead service line replacement. 