President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency for the US Virgin Islands after elevated levels of lead, copper and other dangerous contaminants were found in tested samples taken from St. Croix in October, Time reports. In collaboration with the University of the Virgin Islands, the EPA collected more than 100 water samples; about 37% showed elevated levels of lead and copper, with some showing levels of copper so high it required federal intervention.
While the administration acts to protect the population by bringing in drinking water supplies and FEMA mobilizes other resources, local authorities have told residents in impacted communities not to drink their tap water, but it is safe to use to shower and bathe. Officials are likely to re-run the testing after experts in civil engineering and public health questioned the collection method used to get the samples, saying that the pattern and spike of some samples indicate the samples were taken through industrial or civil valves that would increase heavy metal contamination in samples, not at consumer faucets.