To ensure the safety of students and staff, District 90 recently engaged the environmental consulting firm JMS Environmental Associates, Ltd., to conduct water quality testing at each of our schools. The firm tested all of our water sources at Lincoln Elementary, Willard Elementary, and Roosevelt Middle School for the presence of both lead and copper. To be as thorough as possible, the testing was conducted on all of the sinks, faucets, spigots, and water fountains across the District (131 water sources in total).
Received on August 23, the final testing results from JMS Environmental Associates indicated that the water from a number of sources had lead amounts exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) action level. Water from the fixtures of 6 classroom sinks, 2 workroom sinks, 1 band room water fountain and 1 new hallway water fountain (not yet in service) tested with levels of lead greater than 15 parts per billion (15/ppb), which represents the EPA action level. One of these classrooms also tested above the EPA action level for copper (1.3/ppm). Please see the chart below describing the status of the affected water faucets/fixtures.
|
School |
Location |
Results |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lincoln |
Room 18 |
2 faucets – 1 @ 1100/ppb for Pb; 1 @ 340/ppb for Pb & Cu* at 6400/ppm |
Disconnected |
|
Room 16 |
1 faucet – 32/ppb for Pb |
Disconnected |
|
|
Room 14 |
1 faucet – 25/ppb for Pb |
Disconnected |
|
|
Room 13 (workroom) |
1 spigot – 51/ppb for Pb |
Disconnected |
|
|
Room 22D |
1 faucet – 160/ppb for Pb |
Disconnected |
|
|
2nd Floor Hallway (Rm 22) |
New water fountain – 16/ppb for Pb |
Not in service |
|
|
Roosevelt |
Room 200 |
1 faucet – 29/ppb for Pb |
Disconnected |
|
Room 121 (band room) |
1 water fountain – 29/ppb for Pb |
Disconnected |
|
|
Willard |
Room E4 |
1 faucet – 140/ppb for Pb |
Disconnected |
|
Room N8 (workroom) |
1 faucet – 24/ppb for Pb |
Disconnected |
(*Pb represents lead and Cu represents copper)
The District has disconnected all of the affected faucets and the band room water fountain until repairs are completed. Those repairs will be completed as soon as possible by certified and licensed plumbing contractors, and will only be returned to service once water quality testing indicates that the elevated lead and copper levels have been remedied and are safely below the EPA action level thresholds. According to JMS Environmental Associates, the most likely sources of the elevated lead levels are the supply lines leading to the affected faucets. This occurs most frequently in buildings constructed before 1986. However, it is premature at this time to speculate on the specific causes.
It should be emphasized that elevated levels of lead were not indicated in any of our existing hallway water fountains or fixtures in teachers’ lounges. The affected hallway fountain at Lincoln Elementary is a new fixture that has not yet been put into service. The majority of fixtures indicating elevated lead levels are located at classroom sinks that are used primarily for cleaning and/or hand washing. According to the U.S. EPA, hand washing in water with elevated lead levels “should be safe,” because skin does not absorb lead in water. Regardless, we consider the safety of the water from these classroom fixtures to be as essential as all of the other potable water sources throughout our school buildings.
Clink on the link “Frequently Asked Questions” document to view relevant answers providing additional information about water quality testing in District 90.
We are confident in the measures that we are taking to ensure the safety of the school water supply for our students, staff, and visitors, and will keep you informed of the repair developments as soon as the details become available.