The Independent

Biden declares emergency over lead in water in US Virgin Islands

Source: Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

President Joe Biden declared an emergency over lead-in-water contamination in the U.S. Virgin Islands earlier this week after tests on St. Croix revealed levels more than 100 times the limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency – among the worst results a U.S. community has seen in decades.

“On a personal level, it’s been frightening and frustrating,” said resident Frandelle Gerard, executive director of Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism, Inc.

Officials told residents to stop using their taps and began distributing bottled water. Lead can have devastating effects on childhood development, behavior and IQ scores.

But experts consulted

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