High Lead Levels Shut Down 6 More Highland Park Water Fixtures

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Another round of water testing results released Monday has found more city fixtures with high levels of lead, including park district and North Shore School District 112 outlets. These latest findings bring the number of water fixtures with unacceptable lead levels in Highland Park to 18.

In the newest results, samples from two Park District of Highland Park facilities had lead levels of more than 15 parts per billion, the standard set by the Environmental Protection Agency before action needs to be taken. The samples were taken from a fixture at Heller Nature Center and one at Memorial Park. Both those outlets have been shut down and will remain so until they've been fixed.

Six more fixtures at District 112 schools also contained lead levels above EPA standards and were turned off. Those included:

• two outlets at Red Oak Elementary School
• an outlet at Braeside School
• three outlets at Edgewood Middle School, including a drinking fountain in the girls locker room with a lead level of 153 ppb

The newest results also revealed city outlets with lead levels of at least 5 ppb but below the the EPA standard of 15 ppb. A drinking fountain at Port Clinton Park had a lead concentration of 7 ppb, and four drinking fountains at Edgewood Middle School showed lead levels between 5 ppb and 11 ppb.

More Patch Coverage

• Highland Park Turns Off 3 City-Owned Water Fixtures Over Lead Levels
  
• Lead Found in 2 Water Fountains in District 112 Schools
  
• Unacceptable Lead Levels Found in Water Fountains at 2 District 211 Schools

At that level, the EPA doesn't require action to be taken, but the city has said it will be fixing those outlets, as well.

Since July, Highland Park—along with Park District of Highland Park, the Highland Park Public Library, North Shore School District 112 and Township High School District 113—has been testing water fixtures for high lead levels. So far, here are the water fixtures that have been ruled unacceptable:

• a bathroom sink not open to the public at the library, 494 Laurel Ave., with a lead concentration of 97 ppb
• an upstairs men's restroom sink at the Karger Center, 1850 Green Bay Road, with a lead concentration of 21 ppb
• a hallway water fountain at Lincoln Elementary School with a lead level of 25 ppb
• a water fountain in the boys' locker room at Elm Place Middle School with a lead concentration of 25 ppb
• three drinking fountains at Northwood Junior High School that tested between 15 ppb to 49 ppb
• a drinking fountain at Wayne Thomas Elementary with lead levels between 23 ppb and 32 ppb
• two twin drinking fountains at the West Ridge Center had high lead levels (the exact level was not released)

Despite these latest results, as well as earlier findings, Highland Park's overall water production and distribution system meets or exceeds state and federal water safety standards. District 113 water fixtures still need to be tested, but that testing is currently under way. Currently, the city has taken samples from 297 fixtures and has 122 remaining fixtures to test.

Go to the lead information page on the city's website for more information about the testing. Residents with questions also can contact the following Highland Park officials:

• City Manager Ghida Neukirch:gneukirch@cityhpil.com; 847-926-1000
• Water Plant Superintendent Don Jensen:djensen@cityhpil.com; 847-433-4355

PHOTO: (Image via Shutterstock)

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