by: Jonathan Benson
Many older neighborhoods are still served by lead pipes that release a steady stream of the toxin into drinking water. And in addition to denying the severity of the problem, the CDC and EPA have long stated that partial-pipe replacements are effective. However, the delayed report indicates that the agencies have known for a while that partial-pipe replacements can actually make the problem worse, but did not rectify their error in a timely manner.. So in essence, the agencies have been hiding vitally important information from the public for years in an effort to save face.
"They were too quick to publish a flawed study, and they were too slow to retract it, when they knew that others were relying on it," explained Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC), chairman of a committee that released a report back in may about the agencies' mishandling of the whole situation.
Spin doctors responded by trying to justify the agencies' dereliction of duty, deeming it as nothing more than a simple human error. Some even tried to claim the agencies were only trying to protect the public from becoming panicked over the situation.