New York State (NYS) recently enacted a regulation to protect public health requiring that every school test their drinking water for lead. If lead is found at any water outlet at levels above 15 parts per billion (ppb), NYS requires that action be taken to reduce the lead.
The Grand Island Central School District tested its drinking water for lead in every single building in January. Testing was conducted on the following dates at the following locations:
- Jan. 25 – Huth Road Elementary and Middle School
- Jan. 26 – High School, Maintenance Building and Eco Island
- Jan. 27 – Sidway Elementary, Transportation Building and Buildings and Grounds
- Jan. 28 – Kaegebein Elementary
Of the 497 water samples we tested in our school buildings, only 28 showed lead levels above the 15 ppb mark.
Our schools will remain open as we remediate the sources found to be above the 15 ppb threshold. The timetable for the remediation of each one of the identified sources will depend on the availability of parts, installation, and the process of retesting. It is important to note that none of the sources will be put back in service and available for drinking and/or cooking until the sources are fully mitigated and meet the New York State Department of Health standards.
