Omaha’s Lead Crisis: Why Most Kids Aren’t Tested Despite a Massive Superfund Site

Jovanni Daniels, 8, climbs a tree in Omaha, Nebraska. His mother, Belinda, discovered his high lead levels when he was a toddler, allowing her to take steps to prevent further damage.

Belinda Daniels panicked in 2018 when her pediatrician told her that her 1-year-old son, Jovanni, had lead in his blood. The toxic metal could stunt his brain development, the doctor warned, but early detection allowed her to limit further harm. Daniels moved out of her Omaha apartment, which had chipping lead paint, and followed strict cleaning and handwashing protocols. The doctor continued monitoring Jovanni’s lead levels over time, and eventually, they dropped.

While the now-8-year-old has anger and impulse-control issues, Daniels said the situation could have been far worse. “They told me that the side effects of it would be him being autistic,” she recalled, “or having very delayed behaviors.”

Omaha’s Lead Problem: A Superfund Site and a Testing Gap

Not every child in Omaha is as fortunate as Jovanni. In Nebraska, testing for lead exposure is largely left to individual doctors or health systems, leaving many children untested despite the city’s severe lead contamination. Local public health officials warn that too few kids are being screened, given Omaha’s status as home to the largest residential lead cleanup site in the country.

For over a century, smoke from a lead smelter and other factories deposited 400 million pounds of toxic lead across Omaha’s east side. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began investigating the pollution in 1999, and in 2003, designated 27 square miles of east Omaha as a Superfund site. Since then, the EPA and the city have excavated and replaced soil in nearly 14,000 yards, covering about a third of the site’s residential properties.

Universal Lead Testing Laws: A Proven Solution

Faced with similar public health threats, 13 states—including New Jersey, Louisiana, and neighboring Iowa—have passed laws requiring universal lead screening for all children before kindergarten. Nebraska has not. Most states adopted these laws after realizing that targeting only high-risk groups, such as children in older housing, missed too many cases.

Data from the Flatwater Free Press and ProPublica shows that every state with available records saw an increase in the number of children tested after implementing universal screening laws. Some states also identified more children with elevated blood lead levels. Nationally, inconsistent testing means health officials miss about half of all kids with high lead levels, according to research by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend testing in areas with high lead prevalence or older housing. Over the years, Omaha public health officials have tried to raise awareness through billboards and community events, but the lack of a statewide mandate leaves many children vulnerable.

“They told me that the side effects of it would be him being autistic or having very delayed behaviors.” — Belinda Daniels, mother of Jovanni Daniels