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Ohio Village Hit by Lead in Drinking Water Gets US Grant
By: Associated Press
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SEBRING, Ohio (AP) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has agreed to pay for improvements at a northeast Ohio village’s water treatment plant that are designed to stop corrosive water from leaching lead into tap water.
Officials announced Monday that Sebring will receive $400,000 from the USDA to pay for technology that will alert plant operators to add chemicals when the water becomes too acidic. Sebring is about 60 miles southeast of Cleveland.
Sebring came under scrutiny in January when schools closed and pregnant women and small children were warned not to drink tap water after high lead levels were found in some homes.
Sebring fired the plant’s manager soon after the warning. Two Ohio Environmental Protection Agency employees also were fired after agency officials said the employees mishandled the situation in Sebring.