AUBURN (WGME) -- The city of Auburn is getting a big boost to help combat lead poisoning in the community in the form of a $3.4 million grant.
"It's really important right now because we want to make sure we're doing everything we can do to protect the kids, protect our community," says Director of Business and Community Development Glen Holmes.
He says the federal grant will help them address at least 110 properties, many in the downtown area.
"We have a lot of houses that were built pre-1978," Holmes says, "That's when lead was prevalent, before 1978. After '78 pretty much the lead, unless people had it in their garages, it wasn't really much of a problem."
According to the CDC, exposure to high levels of lead can cause anemia, weakness and kidney and brain damage and it's especially risky for children. In a 2019 state report, Auburn was identified as having the third highest number of children in Maine with blood levels at or above the definition of lead poisoning.
"If they're ingesting lead, that's something we can't reverse," says Holmes, "Once they ingest it, it's already had that impact."
Holmes says the qualifying properties will be evaluated, tested and worked on.
"Sometimes it's simply stripping the paint off some things, if it's easy, but if it's more intricate, more detailed, you remove all that woodwork and put new woodwork back that doesn't have it and then paint it appropriately," he says.
Holmes adds, this is just the beginning, as there are many more properties that may qualify for lead abatement.
"110 homes sounds like a lot," he says, "There's 4,700 homes that are pre-1978 in the city, so I've got a long ways to go."
There will be an application so Auburn residents can have their properties looked at and tested, which is expected to be available by January 1st.