Chicago sued over lead pipes, city says water supply safe

CHICAGO (AP) - A lawsuit has been filed against the city of Chicago saying it should remove thousands of lead pipes that connects homes to the city's water supply.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Cook County Circuit Court by three plaintiffs and on behalf of others similarly situated. Their lawsuit accuses the city of not adequately warning residents about how lead can enter tap water after street repairs. The filing comes after widespread attention to a lead-contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan.

The Chicago Tribune reports (http://trib.in/1QNW5gQ) that Chicago required lead service lines until they were banned nationally in 1986. Chicago adds chemicals to water that form a protective coating inside pipes.

Chicago's Water Management Department said it hasn't reviewed the lawsuit but that the city's "water is safe and exceeds federal, state and industry standards."

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Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com