Lead Found In 4 New Brunswick Schools

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — The New Brunswick public school system continues to test its schools for lead, and elevated lead levels were found at four public schools this summer, Superintendent Dr. Aubrey A. Johnson announced to parents this week.

The testing was done June 27 and 28. New Brunswick tests 206 water sources total, and added more sites to be tested this year after — as Patch reported — 14 schools tested too high for lead in May of 2016.

Elevated lead levels were found at:

McKinley — Kitchen - Kitchen sink S-02
Lincoln — Room 108 - Sink bubbler
Woodrow Wilson — Hall by room 21 - Water Cooler
Middle School — Hall by room 57 - Water Cooler

Each of these four water sources were immediately removed from service and will be remediated as quickly as possible, the district said. They will be re-tested and will not return to service until acceptable readings are recorded. However, Dr. Johnson stressed that these results are actually extremely positive, pointing out that only 4 out of 206 testing sites came back too high.

"It’s also important to note that children are far more likely to come in contact with lead at home than they are at their school," he said.

After elevated lead levels were found in 14 New Brunswick public schools last spring, the district now routinely tests its drinking water every year. New Jersey state law only requires school districts test once every six years. The school district tests water fountains, kitchen/food prep equipment, ice machines, and sinks.

If lead in drinking water exceeds 15 parts per billion, that is too high, according to New Jersey state guidelines, said Frank LoDolce, the Director of Facility Design and Construction at New Brunswick Public Schools. Guidelines from the Environmental Protection Agency are slightly more lax, at over 20 parts per billion considered too high.

Patch reporting from May of 2016: Elevated Lead Levels Found in New Brunswick Schools