Failed Lead Tests At 15 District 202 Schools

PLAINFIELD, IL — While 98 percent of the water sources at Plainfield school district's 33 schools and facilities meet state safety standards for lead content, 65 water sources at more than a dozen campuses failed compliance testing this summer. District officials on Thursday said lead removal filters will be installed on 65 non-compliant drinking fountains and classroom sinks at the schools, and water will be re-tested before the new school year begins in one week. In a press release, the district said testing was completed this year on all 3,675 water sources, and the lead content in 3,610 of those sources fell below the new state safety standard of five parts per billion.

The 65 non-compliant sources, found at four campuses, include six fountains at four schools and 59 classroom sinks at 15 campuses. The fountains are at Wesmere Elementary (one); Indian Trail Middle School (one); Plainfield Academy (three); Plainfield South High School (one, by the tennis court).

The 59 sinks are at:

• Indian Trail Middle School (five)

• Eichelberger Elementary School (two)
• Creekside Elementary School (five)
• Ira Jones Middle School (one)
• Walker’s Grove Elementary School (five)
• River View Elementary School (two)
• Drauden Point Middle School (seven)
• Aux Sable Middle School (seven)
• PHSCC (one)
• Grand Prairie Elementary School (seven)
• Timber Ridge Middle School (one)
• Wesmere Elementary School (six)
• Lakewood Falls Elementary School (three)
• PEHS (three)
• PSHS (four

Water sources will be re-tested before the new school year starts Aug. 17. Any that remain non-compliant will not be in use until after successful remediation and passing of a re-test, the district said. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Water testing began in May at District 202 schools. Under a new law, water sampling was required by Dec. 31, 2017, at schools serving preschool through fifth grade students built before January 1, 1987. The law also requires testing by Dec. 31, 2018 for schools serving children from preschool through grade 5 built between January 2, 1987 and January 1, 2000.

The law doesn't address schools built after 2000 or campuses that serve students in grades six to 12, but legislators have until June 30, 2019, to change that.

Nineteen of District 202’s 30 schools, and the Freshman Center at Plainfield High School – Central Campus opened in 2000 or later, during the district’s heavy growth period from 1997-2008.

District 202 said it opted to test all of its facilities at once rather than waiting until Dec. 31, 2017 deadline.

Water test results and reports for each school and district facility are posted on the District 202 website.

Image by David Salafia via Flickr Creative Commons