Water Testing in Appoquinimink Schools. Presented

Transcription

1 Water Testing in Appoquinimink Schools Presented

2 Learn About Lead What is lead? Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth s crust. While it has some beneficial uses, it can be toxic to humans and animals.

3 Learn about Lead Where is lead found? Lead can be found in all parts of our environment: the air, the soil, the water, and even inside our homes. The metal has been used for centuries for many purposes, resulting in its widespread distribution in the environment.

4 Learn about Lead Home Safety Major sources of lead exposure include lead-based paint in older housing and lead that built up over decades in soil and dust due to historical use of lead in gasoline, paint and manufacturing. Lead can also be found in a number of consumer products including certain types of pottery, pewter, brass fixtures, plumbing materials and cosmetics.

5 Learn about Lead Lead is particularly dangerous to children because their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults do, and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to its damaging effects. Lead can harm a young child s growth, behavior, and ability to learn. Lead exposure during pregnancy may contribute to low birth weight and developmental delays.

6 Illustration: Washington State Department of Health

7 Learn about Lead A child at play can come in contact with sources of lead contamination like dirt and dust that rarely affect an adult. That s why it s important to wash children s hands and toys often and try to make sure that the only thing they put in their mouth is food. Lead in drinking water, although rarely the sole cause of lead poisoning, can significantly increase a person s total lead exposure, particularly among children younger than age 6.* *EPA estimates that drinking water can make up to 20% or more of a person s total exposure to lead.

8 Learn about Lead How does lead enter our water? Lead seldom occurs naturally in water supplies like groundwater, rivers and lakes. Lead enters drinking water primarily as a result of the corrosion, or wearing away, of materials containing lead in the water distribution system and in building plumbing.

9 Learn about Lead Why did we test for lead? The EPA recommends that schools test their facilities for lead, but, unless a school owns its water system, testing is not required. We wanted to be proactive and ensure that all buildings, especially those constructed before 1986 (when Congress banned the use of lead solder containing greater than 2% lead, and restricted the lead content of faucets, pipes and other plumbing materials), did not show results higher than the EPA s recommended 20 ppb in water sources used for drinking.

10 Learn about Lead How was testing conducted? Following instructions given in an EPA guidance document for schools, we completed a plumbing profile for each of our buildings this spring. Factors like the age of the building and the age of the students helped determine what buildings were tested first, but ALL our schools were tested something we are committed to do on an annual basis in the future.

11 Testing Results An independent vendor sampled water from drinking fountains, bathrooms and food preparation areas. Non-detectable levels, or levels below the take action range of 20 ppb recommended by the EPA for first-draw samples were found at all but one location a water fountain near the office at Everett Meredith Middle School. The school has 11 other fountains where no problem was found, suggesting that a component or solder in that particular fountain, or bend in the pipe, needed to be replaced. The district responded by replacing the entire unit. Follow-up testing revealed results well below the EPA s recommended level. The Division of Public Health reviewed the situation and determined that the actions the School District took are consistent with what DPH would have recommended.

12 Testing Results A copy of the test results is available for inspection tonight. Afterwards, we will be posting the results on school and district websites under the heading, Water Education. Although all water outlets tested now fall well within the guidance level suggested by the EPA, we have decided to adopt two safeguards: We will test all schools annually. We will make it standard operating procedure for staff to flush water outlets for several minutes before the start of the regular school day.

13 Testing Results Additionally, we have decided to move beyond the recommended representative sampling to test all water fountains. Should a concern (lead reading above 20 ppb) be discovered, we will retest to confirm the result, address the issue, and inform families. These results will be publicly reported and shared on our website.

14 Resources For more information regarding the Appoquinimink School District testing program or sampling results, contact Asst. Superintendent Dr. T.J. Vari at (302) or For information on lead exposure and ways to reduce your child s risk, visit the Center for Disease Control s website, OR The Division of Public Health Healthy Homes and Lead Poison Prevention Program Town of Middletown Water Report: