High Lead Levels Found In 10 Fort Lee Elementary School Water Fountains

FORT LEE, N.J. — Elevated lead levels were found at 10 water fountains at the district's four elementary schools recently, officials announced.

The Fort Lee School District received a preliminary report from an environmental testing agency indicating that the lead levels were found "to be above the standard in lead testing," Superintendent Kenneth Rota said in an email to parents and the school community. Rota said he wanted to get the information out to people as quickly as possible.

The affected water fountains have been shut down and work has begun to replace the affected water fountains and filters has begun, Rota said.

"We're working on it already," Rota said.

Water from the fountains will be retested before any of the affected fountains are reopened.

Results for Fort Lee High School and Lewis Cole Middle School have not yet been received.

The district is awaiting a final report from the testing agency.

At the recommendation of the state Department of Environmental Protection, the district tests its water lead levels every three years. The most recent test in 2013 showed the levels were below standard, Rota said.

The district hired the testing agency after reading about elevated lead levels in other school districts throughout New Jersey and the United States.

Related: Fort Lee Among N.J. Towns With Most Kids Sick With Lead Poisoning

According to an NJ Spotlight report, Fort Lee ranked among the municipalities with the highest number of reported cases of lead poisoning during the fiscal year 2013-14 for children 6 months to 26 months old with 264.

Leonia shut down six water fountains in the district last month after levels of lead were found to be "above the standard."