[quote style=”2″]No Elevated Levels Found in Drinking Sources[/quote]
A total of 19 sites at Hermiston schools have been found to have elevated levels of lead in the water, however, none of them are used for drinking, according to Hermiston School District officials.
In April, after schools in Portland were found to have water sources with elevated levels of lead, the Oregon Health Authority recommended that all public schools and day care centers test their water for lead during the summer, using accredited drinking water testing labs.
The OHA recommended that all taps used for drinking or food preparation be tested. Mike Kay, the school district’s executive director of operations, said the District went beyond the recommendation and tested not only primary drinking locations, but secondary sources such as bathrooms and science sinks.
Of the 834 sites tested, 19 came back with elevated lead levels. Those 19 sites with elevated levels included 13 sites at Hermiston High School.
Testing also revealed elevated lead levels in two dish-washing sinks at Sandstone Middle School, two classroom sinks and a kitchen spray nozzle at Highland Hills, and one hand-washing station at Armand Larive Middle School.
Kay said tests have shown no elevated lead levels in any of the primary drinking sites. He said the district shut off the valve at all of the elevated sites and tagged them with a “Do Not Use” label. He also said all surface equipment has been replaced and all the affected sites have been re-tested and that the district is awaiting those results.
Kay said most of the sites found to have elevated levels of lead were those that have not been in use for some time and that the lead is likely from the fixtures and spray nozzles and not the water. The district has replaced the contaminated fixtures and nozzles, Kay said.
“The water source for all Hermiston schools is the city of Hermiston,” he said. “Its municipal water systems are in compliance with federal and state standards for lead monitoring and treatment.”
If the latest test results continue to show elevated lead levels, Kay said the next step the district will take would be the replace the pipes.
So far, the district has spent about $13,000 on the testing, but Kay said the district could be reimbursed by the state.
