Joe Ponder, 19, is an environmental studies major at UMD. He is a non-profit of himself and tests water free of charge for family homes in the District. For the record, the safe amount of lead in your water is 8 parts per billion measured during first draw (first water out) and then at 1 minute and then at 5 minutes. 15 parts per billion and you better call the city, or Joe will, rather.
Casual Men: What were you reading when i showed up?
Joe: It’s a pamphlet put together by some Virginia Tech grad students who worked with Marc Edwards. He was the guy who discovered the DC public water had really dangerous lead levels.
CM: All of DC?
Joe: Only places that had corroded pipes but they didn’t test everywhere. Columbia Heights was one, Mount Pleasant…
CM: What does lead poisoning do?
Joe: It messes with everything; you get neurological problems and your balls can stop working. I read that kids exhibit aggression and problems focusing in school, and then ironically they’re supposed to get better by being fed wholesome, calcium rich food, but you know, back then there was your average menu of fast food and other awful stuff. This is before people like me started hanging out there.
CM: So, contributing to the already busted school system was a lead induced aggression problem and attention deficits all caused by the water?
Joe: Dude, if you just examine the vitals, like a doctor does, you can figure so much out about a bad system. Ask this: What does it take to live? Answers will appear, almost magically, but it’s not magic, its logic.
CM: What do you wear when you go test water?
Joe: A really sweet jumpsuit.
oh man this is so good.