High Lead Levels Found In Bridgewater-Raritan School District

Bridgewater, NJ -- Water fountains and faucets have been shut off at John F. Kennedy Primary school and the Wade Administration Building after "elevated lead levels" were discovered, Bridgewater-Raritan Interim Superintendent Daniel Silvia announced on the district's web site.

Bottled water is being provided for students and is also being used by the kitchen for cooking purposes.

As a precaution, the district contracted with Strategic Environmental to test the water for lead in all of the 11 schools and the Wade Administration Building in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District after recent news.

The testing results, which were returned on Tuesday, April 19, found that drinking water sources at John F. Kennedy Primary School and the Wade Administration Building had "elevated lead levels."

Both were above the acceptable level, which is 15 parts per billion (ppb). Fifteen Parts per billion is the federal Environmental Protection Agency action level for lead in drinking water.

The only two locations with lead concentrations above 15 ppb are:

• John F. Kennedy Primary School – 20 ppb
• Wade Administration Building -145 ppb

After the results came in the water was immediately shut off.

To remedy the issue, the district will be installing filters to address the elevated lead levels found in the water next week.

"Once the filters are installed, the water will be tested again to ensure it has remediated the elevated levels," Silvia stated. "Upon receipt of the test results, they will be shared with the community."