The city collected water samples from 10 homes during a routine check in August. Two came back above the Environmental Protection Agency's lead action level of 15 parts per billion.

Today’s Stories: South Korean leaders dispute President Trump’s Alaska gas pipeline claim. USS Ted Stevens commissioned tomorrow in Seward. Lead found in Kotzebue water. Another Cook Inlet beluga dies...

Kotzebue is one of only two communities in Alaska whose drinking water is currently over the federal limit for lead, according to state officials. The city collected water samples from 10 homes during a routine check in August. Two came back above the Environmental Protection Agency's lead action level of 15 parts per billion, which triggers extra testing, public notice and a review of how the water is treated. "The water is safe to drink; it is just related to those two locations," said Cindy Christian, who manages the state Department of Environmental Conservation's Drinking Water Program. The lead most likely comes from older fixtures in individual homes, Christian said. "Lead is usually leached from fixtures, and in Alaska, those fixtures are usually like kitchen faucets that were manufactured prior to 2014," she said. That was the year a federal law sharply limited how much lead can be in plumbing products, including fittings, solder and faucets. Checking your home's plumbing fixtures is a good start, Christian said. "If people are concerned about high lead levels, the best thing they can do is have a look at their faucets and make sure that they have faucets that are newer," she said...