Testing for Lead at Schools

As stated on the PDE information website regarding Testing for Lead at Schools, "Testing water in schools is important because children spend a significant portion of their days in these facilities. The longer water remains in contact with lead plumbing, the more opportunity exists for lead to leach into water. As a result, facilities with on again/off again water use, such as schools, may have elevated lead concentrations in their water. Testing the water at each outlet is the only sure way to find out if the water contains too much lead. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that schools develop a plumbing profile and sampling plan to understand how water enters and flows through the building, as well as identify and prioritize sample sites."

Testing for lead in water in our schools has become a routine practice that is conducted annually.  We contract out to have a certified environmental group conduct our testing each year.  If any of the tests indicate lead levels above the EPA's current action level of 15 ppb, we immediately implement a remediation plan that includes options from changing out faucets or components to putting up signage indicating that certain sinks/water supply is Not for drinking.  In some cases, we may remove the source by taking the sink out of service if not needed.

Elevated lead levels (if any) requiring remediation are then reported as required by Act 39 of 2018, to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and posted on PDE's website.