Lead Found in Clarkstown Schools' Drinking Water

After the lead crisis in Flint Mich. and the discovery of high lead levels in Newark New Jersey schools, Clarkstown officials decided to test the district's sinks and water fountains.

They found that 4 percent of the water fountains and 10 percent of the sinks had elevated lead levels.

As a result, officials said yesterday, they turned off 16 fountains and many of the sinks -- and put signs at bathroom sinks, for example, warning to use them for handwashing only.

Now the district is having further tests done, after which a mitigation plan will be developed, said Superintendent Dr. J. Thomas Morton.

The board will discuss the issue at its June 2 meeting, and there will be representatives from the water testing company and the county health department.

Here's the superintendent's letter:

May 19, 2016

Dear Clarkstown Families and Staff,

As you may be aware, to ensure the protection of our students and staff, the District has tested the water for lead in each of our schools. Recent media coverage raised many important questions about lead levels in drinking water and though there are currently no New York State Education Department or other state or federal guidelines mandating water testing in schools, we felt it important to proactively address this issue.

I am writing today to provide some background for our actions, share the results of the water sampling tests and give an overview of our next steps.

High levels of lead in drinking water can cause serious health problems. Lead can get into drinking water at its source or through an interaction between the water and the plumbing materials and faucets. The focus of water testing at our schools was on the internal plumbing and fixtures. The source of water for our district is SUEZ Water, the company that supplies water to most of the homes in our community. Pursuant to discussions with the Rockland County Department of Health, there is no indication that this source of water contributes to lead levels within our schools. The water quality report for our area can be found here: http://www.mysuezwater.com/water-in-my-area/water-quality-reports/10956.

As an initial action, District Administration reviewed the guidance issued by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on water testing in schools, 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools. This document is also an excellent reference for parents in understanding this issue.

A series of meetings and conference calls was held with representatives from the Rockland County Department of Health, BOCES Health and Safety and the New York State Education Department. To guide the work, the Board voted on March 31, 2016 to engage Adelaide Environmental Health Associates, Inc., a leading expert in water quality testing and the group currently working with a number of school districts in the New York metropolitan area. Collectively, a water sampling plan was developed.

Key components of the District’s plan:

• • Determine the Scope - Sample testing in all school buildings
  • Set Priorities – Identify sample sites based on EPA Guidelines. (See Page 17, Assessment and Strategy)
  • - Sample targets identified – All drinking fountains; kitchen sinks; classroom combination sinks and drinking fountains; home economic room sinks; teacher's lounge sinks; nurse's office sinks; classroom sinks in special education classrooms; and any sink known to be or visibly used for consumption (for example, coffee maker or cups are nearby). In addition to these high priority targets, also tested were select bathroom and laboratory sinks.
  • Identify testing protocol, first draw and flush test. (See page 28-30, Conducting Sampling)
  • Identify and put in place corrective action plans for any water outlet that does not meet the EPA recommended standard, which is a lead level above 20 parts per billion (ppb)

Results

As a result of the above process, 1,243 water outlets were identified for a “first draw” test, which is designed to represent a reasonable “worst case” for potential exposure to lead. Included were 365 water fountains and 878 sinks. Sampling took place on April 23 and April 25, 2016, during spring recess.

In summary:

- 96% of the water fountain test samples were below the 20 ppb EPA standard.

- 16 water fountains tested over 20 ppb.

- 90% of the sink test samples were below the 20 ppb EPA standard. This result includes high, medium, and low priority sinks, such as science lab and utility sinks.

- 88 sinks tested over 20 ppb.

A comprehensive list of test locations and results can be found here.

Immediate Actions

Upon receipt of the test results, all 16 water fountains were turned off. All sinks testing positive for 20 ppb at elementary schools were turned off. Notification was sent to all staff as a reminder that sinks should be used for hand washing and cleaning only.

Next Steps

All bathroom sinks with levels above 20 ppb that must remain in service for hand washing, which is crucial to maintain sanitary conditions, will be placarded with a notice stating, “Do Not Drink Water from Bathroom Sinks.” The District is in the process of performing flush tests on all water fountains with adverse test results and selected sinks with results significantly above the EPA standard. Based on the outcome of these tests, a mitigation plan will be developed and implemented. This may include replacement of fixtures, installation of filtration devices, or removal of water outlets.

Additional Information and Questions

On June 2, 2016 at the Board of Education meeting, the District will hold a public session to discuss the results of the water testing and answer any questions. In attendance will be Adelaide Environmental Health Associates and representatives from the Rockland County Dept. of Health.

Additional Resource

• • The Center for Disease Control

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips/water.htm

If you have any questions, I encourage you to attend on June 2nd. As always, the health and wellness of our students and staff is our top priority.

Sincerely,

Dr. J. Thomas Morton