Elevated lead in drinking water in Washington, DC, 2003-2004: the public health response.

Background: In 2003, residents of the District of Columbia (DC) experienced an abrupt rise in lead levels in drinking water, which followed a change in water-disinfection treatment in 2001 and which was attributed to consequent changes in water chemistry and corrosivity.

Objectives: To evaluate the public health implications of the exceedance, the DC Department of Health expanded the scope of its monitoring programs for blood lead levels in children.

Methods: From 3 February 2004 to 31 July 2004, 6,834 DC residents were screened to determine their blood lead levels.

Optimizing a District of Columbia Strategic National Stockpile dispensing center.

On October 4, 2003, the District of Columbia Department of Health (DOH) held a Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) exercise designed to test its plan for operating mass dispensing centers during a bioterrorist attack or other emergency. The main goals of the exercise were to maximize the throughput of the dispensing plan and improve dispensing procedures. These goals are important for quantifying the resources (eg, numbers and types of staff) necessary to respond to different types and sizes of events, as well as for minimizing the potential for errors or confusion in dispensing medications.