East Chicago says it needs at least $56 million to address lead contamination crisis

Mayor Anthony Copeland submitted an inventory of necessary resources on Friday to address the ongoing lead crisis in the Calumet neighborhood, which is within the U.S.S. Lead Superfund site, to Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb. The city's report was needed to give the state a picture of what funding was needed to support East Chicago under a disaster declaration signed in February.

The city's assessment prioritized the need to provide safe water for residents, asking for almost $500,000 to provide water filters and $40 million to begin replacing lead service lines and underground utilities.

"Governor, I want you to know that while we did not cause the problems in Calumet, we are committed to working with you and others to resolve them," Copeland wrote in his letter. "I realize that this will require collaboration and bipartisan support from all parties."

Among the request's top priorities are water filters for residents; independent water testing throughout the city; money to additional blood lead level testing; resources to test water in homes; and expanding infrastructure improvements to replace lead pipes in the Superfund site.

In February, Holcomb approved a disaster declaration for the city, which former governor and now Vice President Mike Pence previously denied. Holcomb agreed to increase state assistance to the city, according to the governor's office, and help residents of the Calumet neighborhood affected by lead and arsenic contamination.

Copeland said in his letter that the health and safety of residents is his primary concern.

The city's request for the state to provide water filters for residents came at the same time a similar request was made to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Due to high levels of lead found in the drinking water in East Chicago, which the EPA discovered during work at the U.S.S. Lead Superfund site, a collective of advocacy groups wants the EPA to supply residents with water filters or bottled water to avert potential health risks to residents.

The EPA received the petition last week and reviewing the request, according to EPA officials.

"Neither the city nor the state has acted adequately to protect East Chicago from the continuing public health threat from exposure to lead in drinking water, including that no commitments have been made to provide city-wide access to safe drinking water in the short term," the petition to the EPA said.

The request seeks the EPA's intervention to provide similar support it gave to residents in Flint, Mich., under its authority through the Safe Drinking Water Act.

The East Chicago Calumet Coalition, a community advisory group, sent its own inventory of needs to Holcomb. Both assessments by the coalition and the city cited the same needs, including water filters or bottled water for residents; money to replace lead service lines; and other services to prevent further contamination and protect residents' health.