E. Coli, Lead And Mercury Found In Houston Floodwaters

Published September 19, 2017 at 1:52 PM EDT

A resident pulls personal belongings on a kayak as he wades through floodwaters on Sept. 6, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

More than 100,000 homes were damaged or destroyed in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, which left much of Houston underwater.

Residents there are now learning that the sitting water in their homes is toxic, containing dangerous levels of E. coli bacteria, and heavy metals like lead and mercury. The contamination was found after The New York Times commissioned scientists at Baylor and Rice universities to collect and test the floodwaters.

Here & Now‘s Robin Young checks in with New York Times health and science reporter Sheila Kaplan (@BySheilaKaplan).

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