A U.S. government agency has detected contaminated water supplies at a Chicago building that houses a regional headquarters for the Environmental Protection Agency.
In a statement to Scripps News, the EPA confirmed that the General Services Administration tested water supplies in the Metcalfe Federal Building, in which "nine fixtures were found to have water quality issues, including elevated levels of lead, copper, and Legionella."
Three of those fixtures were in parts of the building occupied by the EPA's Region 5 headquarters staff.
The GSA, which owns the building, told tenants it was working to address the problem.
The EPA says elevated levels of lead in drinking water can cause behavioral problems, lowered IQ and slowed growth in children and can cause cardiovascular and reproductive harm in adults. Copper in drinking water can cause gastrointestinal problems in the short term, and liver and kidney damage over long-term exposure.
Legionella is the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac Fever. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Legionnaires' disease is a severe pneumonia that can cause coughing, fever, headaches and shortness of breath. Legionella is typically spread through inhaled mist that may come from water infrastructure such as faucets, fountains and complex plumbing systems.
RELATED STORY | US government report says fluoride at twice the recommended limit is linked to lower IQ in kids
The EPA told Scripps News it is working with the GSA to address the problem. In the meantime, building tenants have been given access to bottled water.
"Since learning of the issue, EPA has worked closely with GSA to ensure that all EPA Region 5 employees are aware of the issue and kept informed throughout the process," The EPA said. "EPA staff have been provided safe drinking water by GSA, which provided bottled water stations on every other floor occupied by EPA tenants, as well as other affected floors in the building."
