Lead levels in Boston-area water have dropped significantly over the past few decades, but homes in at least eight communities are still affected, reports The Boston Globe.

In September, officials discovered that homes in Boston, Malden, Melrose, Milton, Newton, Somerville, Stoneham, and Winthrop displayed levels of lead above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard, reports the Globe.

“We’ve been working at this problem as a society for many years and we’ve actually made a great deal of progress,’’ Stephen Estes-Smargiassi, planning and sustainability director at the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, told the Globe. “But there’s certainly more work to be done, which is why we take this so seriously.’’


Officials say homeowners with lead pipes or plumbing should replace the pipes or plumbing fixtures or run faucets on cold for 15 to 30 seconds to flush pipes out before using. See a complete list of tips regarding lead in water. Parents looking to protect children from lead exposure can view the state’s “high risk’’ towns and cities when it comes to lead poisoning.

Read the full story in the Globe.