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Chicago has a lead problem due to outdated laws and the city's failure to replace lead pipes. More than 100,000 homes may have lead in their tap water, and tests have found lead levels above government limits. To reduce exposure, use cold water, clean faucet screens, consider using a certified water filter, and flush pipes before drinking. Replacing lead service lines is a challenge due to financial concerns. Government assistance is needed to solve this widespread issue. There are a lot of reasons why this is such an important issue that's impacting so many people, and there are a lot of glaring facts that just can't be ignored, and we're going to share a few of them with you right now. Yeah. One of the reasons Chicago has ended up with such a dire lead problem was because it kept laws in the books requiring that lead pipes be used to connect homes to the city water system until 1986, decades after most cities banned them due to brain-damaging toxicity. It's crazy that they had that brain-damaging research, and then still, it's still something that's affecting people today, even like more than 20 years later. Yeah, especially in a city that's like, what, the third largest city, and they're still just allowing... The amount of people that live there? It's crazy. In September 2020, the mayor of Chicago announced plans to replace 650 lead pipes by the end of 2021 and continue increasing the number from there, but so far, the city hasn't come close to hitting that target. It's possible that more than 100,000 homes could have lead levels in their tap water. One in 20 tap water tests performed for thousands of Chicago residents found lead, a neurotoxic metal, at or above U.S. government limits. If these facts are jarring to you, we have some different steps that you could take to reduce your exposure to lead if that's something that you're worried about in your own household. You can work on using only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula. Boiling water does not remove lead from water, contrary to what some people think. Regularly cleaning your faucet screen, also known as an aerator. Consider using a water filter certified to remove lead and know when it's time to replace the filter, or before drinking, flush your pipes by running your tap, take a shower, doing laundry, or a load of dishes. And of course, replacing your lead service line, if at all possible. But one huge barrier with this is the financial concerns, and we recognize that that's something that stands in the way of a lot of people solving this issue and being able to combat it. And it should be like a responsibility of the cities where there's like 1,000 different residential areas that are all connected to the same pipe. Obviously one resident in one house isn't going to be able to replace all of that lead that's contaminating their house, and they're going to need help from government. And that's why we're talking about this problem. Yes.

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