Chicago is grappling with a significant public health challenge, being home to more lead service lines than any other city in the United States.
This alarming situation has prompted researchers at Northwestern University to devise a practical solution.
The team has developed a rapid at-home test that enables residents to check for lead contamination in their own water supply.
Grad student Tyler Lucci, who has dedicated extensive hours conducting research, described his commitment to this project, stating, “It’s my life — 8 to 5, 8 to 6. It’s the story of my Ph.D.”
At the synthetic biology lab within Northwestern University, Lucci is focused specifically on the issue of lead in water.
“Chicago has over 400,000 lead service lines,” he noted, underscoring the scale of the problem still facing the city.
Coverage in CBS News Chicago has highlighted the persistent lead service line crisis, which gained further attention when the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated $15 billion for nationwide replacements, with a significant portion earmarked for Chicago.
However, city officials have projected that the total cost to replace all lead service lines in Chicago could reach up to $9 billion, leaving a considerable gap in solutions for residents exposed to this risk.
Despite these daunting figures, Lucci’s team has made progress in offering a viable testing alternative — a rapid at-home lead test similar to those used for COVID-19 detection.
The test provides results in just 30 minutes, making it user-friendly for the average citizen without a scientific background.
It utilizes visual indicators: solid red lines on the test display that signify contamination levels, with darker lines indicating higher lead concentration.
Users can then cross-reference their results against a provided legend to determine the exact amount of lead in their water sample.
Lucci shared, “The idea here is that you are able to understand if you have lead at a concerning level in less than 30 minutes in your own home, for like ideally less than $20, but hopefully less than that.”
As part of their field study, Lucci and his team are testing the kits in homes across Chicago and Evanston known to have lead service lines.
He remarked, “The goal of this field study, if you will, is to get real samples and have real people use the test.”
The findings from this endeavor can empower residents to make informed decisions, whether it involves installing water filters or requesting the replacement of lead service lines.
For Lucci, investing so much time in the lab has been rewarding, and he believes the rapid test is a significant breakthrough.
“It’s simple and it’s cheap, and knock on wood, it has been working thus far,” he stated confidently.
Meanwhile, the City of Chicago continues to provide free water lead test kits available through their 311 service, although those results can take anywhere from six to eight weeks to be returned.
Northwestern University is currently seeking participants for their study who live in single-family homes built before 1986 and located in the Southeast Side of Chicago or Evanston, with confirmed or suspected lead service lines.
Those interested in participating can complete an eligibility form online or contact the study coordinators via email at [email protected].
Participants will receive various incentives, including two $25 prepaid gift cards, a lead-filtering water pitcher with refills, and complimentary lead level testing for their water.
A link to the eligibility form will also be made available on our website.
image source from：https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/northwestern-university-researchers-rapid-test-for-lead-water/
