Missouri News Lead exposure is a threat to Kansas City kids living in old homes. A federal grant will help
KCUR | By Noah Taborda Published November 18, 2024 at 7:38 AM CST
A piece of lead pipe removed from Jerry Landâs yard in Olathe shows a layer of lining inside the pipe that indicates the cityâs water supply provided a thin film that prevented the pipe from leeching lead into the homeâs water.
âYou know kids, they touch their mouth.â
Nasser Jouhari, the deputy director of the Kansas City Health Department, knows what that could mean for thousands of kids in the cityâs older neighborhoods.
âIf they get lead contamination, youâre not gonna see the result of that â you're not gonna see the effect of that â until they grow up.â
More than 3,500 homes in Kansas City built before 1940 are at high risk for lead hazards and lead poisoning. A city lead remediation program has been cutting that number down since 1997.
And starting in January 2025, the city will spend $6.4 million to repair about 170 Kansas City homes in low-income and minority neighborhoods, particularly where there are children under six who face the highest risk with prolonged exposure.
Even at low levels, Jouhari said, exposure to lead can hinder childrenâs brain development and cause behavioral problems and learning difficulties. Lead-poisoned children can have trouble with language processing, memory, attention and impulsivity. Later in life, it raises the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
While the rate of lead poisoning has dropped significantly compared to the mid-20th century, thousands of children in Kansas and Missouri are found with elevated blood lead levels every year.
Kansas City has up to nine times the national average of lead poisoning rates, making the program a critical one, Jouhari said.
Starting in January, homeowners can apply for free repairs if they live on the property. Rental property owners with eligible tenants will cover only 25% of the remediation costs.
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