In Milwaukee, more than 10% of children test positive for dangerous lead levels in their blood. Health experts say the most common culprit is lead paint in old homes. But water that travels through lead pipes also poses some risk. Lead lateral pipes connect at least 70,000 older homes in Milwaukee to the city's water mains. » See More Project Milwaukee: Great Lakes, Troubled Waters Reports Whatever the source, Milwaukee’s high rate of lead exposure has devastating consequences for children's learning and development. The hotspots of lead poisoning in Milwaukee include many low-income neighborhoods, where aging houses pose a silent threat to children. One example is Baily Escobar’s home on the near south side. It’s a duplex that was built in 1899. “Thank God we’re moving out of this house, very soon,” Escobar says. Escobar is glad she’s moving because her two young daughters were poisoned by lead. Recent tests show 2-year-old Evalexy’s blood lead level was 5.8 micrograms per deciliter
In Milwaukee, more than 10% of children test positive for dangerous lead levels in their blood. Health experts say the most common culprit is lead paint in old homes. But water that travels through lead pipes also poses some risk. Lead lateral pipes connect at least 70,000 older homes in Milwaukee to the city's water mains. » See More Project Milwaukee: Great Lakes, Troubled Waters Reports Whatever the source, Milwaukee’s high rate of lead exposure has devastating consequences for children's