When Sukky Bleck’s infant son was diagnosed last year with bilateral hydronephrosis, a condition preventing urine from draining from the kidney into the bladder, she started questioning herself. [Chicago Tribune]

“Was it something I did? What did I do wrong? How can I fix it,” the 27-year-old Southeast Side resident said.

Bleck said she soon became haunted by whether lead-contaminated drinking water might have contributed to his condition. While kidney damage from lead exposure is uncommon in the United States, according to the National Kidney Foundation, lead found in drinking water has been proven to cause kidney damage on rare occasions, usually after many years of exposure.

“I shouldn’t have to stockpile cases of water for my children’s home. No parent should,” she said. “The lead pipe crisis is not just a statistic. It’s a harsh reality we’re facing daily. Our children, our future are at risk.”

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