High Levels Of Lead, Copper, Found In 100s Of Schools' Water: How Did Sudbury Test?

SUDBURY, MA—Hundreds of schools in Massachusetts have water levels that are considered unacceptable, according to a new report released by the state.

Of more than 1,000 schools that had water tested, at least one of the two samples (they are tested for lead and copper) had "above actionable levels" at more than 600 schools.

"This list summarizes sampling results for lead and copper in drinking water at schools and early education & childcare facilities (EECFs) that have been reported to MassDEP through its electronic data reporting system (eDEP)," reads the report.

If water tests at "above the action level" for either lead or copper, that indicates that the concentration is higher than is acceptable by the state's standards. More specifically, according to the EPA, "the treatment technique for the rule requires systems to monitor drinking water at customer taps. If lead concentrations exceed an action level of 15 ppb or copper concentrations exceed an action level of 1.3 ppm in more than 10 percent of customer taps sampled, the system must undertake a number of additional actions to control corrosion."

Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High was the only school tested in the Sudbury district, and it received a "below action level" reading, meaning water is found to be at acceptable levels.

According to WCVB-TV, the testing started last spring and was voluntary, without all of the more than 1,800 public schools, 80 charter schools and private schools. Boston's district, which has 130 schools, was not tested.

Some of the levels found at some of these Massachusetts schools had exceeded levels found in Flint, MI, according to the Boston Globe.

Photo via Shutterstock