Bethlehem schools water testing results
Content
MEMORANDUM To:
Dr. Joseph Roy, Superintendent
From:
Mark Stein, Chief Facilities & Operations Officer
Subject:
District-wide Lead Testing Results Summary
Date:
May 9, 2016
While there are no federal or state regulations that require schools to test for lead in drinking water, the Bethlehem Area School Schoo l District conducted voluntary water testing at all district schools and support facilities. The district utilized the the same testing criteria outlined in the federal Safe Drinking Water Act’s Lead and Copper Rule that applies to Public Pu blic Water Systems for collecting water samples. These criteria include collecting collecting one liter, first draw samples from taps regularly used for consumption after at least 6 hours of stagnation time. Also collected at many locations was was a secondary “flush” sample taken from the sa me faucet as the first draw sample after running water for five minutes. Samples were tested by a DEP-certified DEP-certified drinking water testing lab utilizing EPA Method 200.8. The federal action level for lead in drinking water is 15 parts per billion (ppb). In the school environment, taps regularly used for consumption include drinking fountains and kitchen food preparation sinks. Within BASD’s 23 school buildings (including SPARK), there were were 81 school drinking fountains tested and 24 kitchen prep sinks tested. None of the test results from school water water sources regularly regularly u sed for consumption by students exceeded exceeded 15 ppb. ppb. Out of an abundance of caution, many other locations in our buildings not regularly used for consumption were tested. These water sources sources included hand sinks, science science labs (where students are not permitted to eat or drink), nurses’ nurses’ offices and faculty rooms. rooms. Of the 313 initial water samples, eleven samples from the ‘not regularly used’ locations initially tested over the action limit. Upon retesting these specific locations to confirm adhe rence to testing protocols, test results remained above the action limit for only one sink faucet, which will be replaced. Two other locations returned results that initially did not exceed the limit, but upon retesting, exceeded the limit. One was a nurse’s nurse’s sink and the other a water fountain at the Ed Center. These specific fixtures will also be replaced. Additionally, hydrant flushing in the Thomas Thomas Jefferson neighborhood the day before the water water testing produced brown water for several first draw samples and yielded inconsistent test results that varied wildly. All ten sample locations from Thomas Jefferson were were retested to obtain more reliable results. Attached to this memo is a summary of all test results results that exceeded the 15 ppb action level level and the follow-up actions that will be taken to address these results. The next steps in this process pro cess include replacing plumbing fixtures as identified in the summary and retesting water at each new fixture to confirm lead levels have been reduced below the action limit. Moving forward, the district plans to continue an annual program of water testing focused on fixtures regularly used for consumption. consumption. Over time, each of these these fixtures will ultimately be tested.
Att.
Summary of Testing Results Exceeding EPA Action Limit and Recommendations for Remediation May 9, 2016 Initial Test Results PPB
Bldg
Location
AP
Rm 11 Sink Rm 11 Sink - Flush Rm 12 Sink Rm 13 Sink
Retest Results PPB
129 <1
Follow-up
Replace faucet and retest <1 <1
No action No action
It was noted that this faucet is in poor condition so it will be replaced and re-tested. Two adjacent rooms were sampled during retesting and all showed less than 1 ppb.
BMS
Rm 205 Rm 205 Rm 204 Rm 204
Science Lab Science Lab - Flush Science Lab Science Lab - Flush
26
4 1 2 <1
No action No action No action No action
42
<1 <1 <1 <1
No action No action No action No action
9 41 57 7
23 <1 6 <1 5 <1
Replace faucet, investigate & repair hot water cross connection. connection. Retest. No action No action No action No action
Adjacent room tested to confirm confirm results.
DO
Rm 111 Rm 111 Rm 110 Rm 110
Sink Sink – Flush Sink Sink – Flush
Adjacent room tested to confirm confirm results.
Nurse’s Sink Nurse’s Sink – Flush Rm 206 Science Lab EHMS Rm 206 Science Lab – Flush Rm 306 Science Lab Rm 306 Science Lab – Flush
Nurse’s sink had v arying results. During testing and retesting, it was noted both hot and cold faucets were supplying hot water. Further investigation will will continue concerning hot water cross cross connection. This faucet will be replaced, cross connection repaired and fixture retested.
TJ
Nurse’s Sink Kitchen Hand Sink Daycare Sink Upstairs South Sink
17,400 107 34 1,490
11 25 6 2
Replace faucet and retest Replace faucet and retest Replace faucet and retest No action
Initial test results negatively impacted by City hydrant flushing flushing the day before. Kitchen hand sink retest did not clear so faucet will will be replaced and retested. As a proactive measure, measure, both the nurse’s sink as well well as the daycare sink will be replaced and retested.
WP
Nurse’s Sink Nurse’s Sink - Flush Girls’ Bathroom Sink Girls’ Bathroom Sink - Flush
121
1 <1 <1 <1
Replace faucet and retest No action No action
City hydrant flushing in t he area, therefore adjacent sink tested. The retest confirms no action required; however, proactively replace nurses faucet and retest.
EdC
2nd Fl M Fountain 1st Fl W Fountain 1st Fl W Fountain-Flush
15 9
Replace fountain and retest 20 2
Replace fountain and retest
Drinking fountain at first floor women’s restroom during during testing and retesting ranged from from 9-20 ppb. All drinking fountains at Ed Center are the same type. Two will be replaced while while two will be removed.
Dr. Joseph Roy, Superintendent
From:
Mark Stein, Chief Facilities & Operations Officer
Subject:
District-wide Lead Testing Results Summary
Date:
May 9, 2016
While there are no federal or state regulations that require schools to test for lead in drinking water, the Bethlehem Area School Schoo l District conducted voluntary water testing at all district schools and support facilities. The district utilized the the same testing criteria outlined in the federal Safe Drinking Water Act’s Lead and Copper Rule that applies to Public Pu blic Water Systems for collecting water samples. These criteria include collecting collecting one liter, first draw samples from taps regularly used for consumption after at least 6 hours of stagnation time. Also collected at many locations was was a secondary “flush” sample taken from the sa me faucet as the first draw sample after running water for five minutes. Samples were tested by a DEP-certified DEP-certified drinking water testing lab utilizing EPA Method 200.8. The federal action level for lead in drinking water is 15 parts per billion (ppb). In the school environment, taps regularly used for consumption include drinking fountains and kitchen food preparation sinks. Within BASD’s 23 school buildings (including SPARK), there were were 81 school drinking fountains tested and 24 kitchen prep sinks tested. None of the test results from school water water sources regularly regularly u sed for consumption by students exceeded exceeded 15 ppb. ppb. Out of an abundance of caution, many other locations in our buildings not regularly used for consumption were tested. These water sources sources included hand sinks, science science labs (where students are not permitted to eat or drink), nurses’ nurses’ offices and faculty rooms. rooms. Of the 313 initial water samples, eleven samples from the ‘not regularly used’ locations initially tested over the action limit. Upon retesting these specific locations to confirm adhe rence to testing protocols, test results remained above the action limit for only one sink faucet, which will be replaced. Two other locations returned results that initially did not exceed the limit, but upon retesting, exceeded the limit. One was a nurse’s nurse’s sink and the other a water fountain at the Ed Center. These specific fixtures will also be replaced. Additionally, hydrant flushing in the Thomas Thomas Jefferson neighborhood the day before the water water testing produced brown water for several first draw samples and yielded inconsistent test results that varied wildly. All ten sample locations from Thomas Jefferson were were retested to obtain more reliable results. Attached to this memo is a summary of all test results results that exceeded the 15 ppb action level level and the follow-up actions that will be taken to address these results. The next steps in this process pro cess include replacing plumbing fixtures as identified in the summary and retesting water at each new fixture to confirm lead levels have been reduced below the action limit. Moving forward, the district plans to continue an annual program of water testing focused on fixtures regularly used for consumption. consumption. Over time, each of these these fixtures will ultimately be tested.
Att.
Summary of Testing Results Exceeding EPA Action Limit and Recommendations for Remediation May 9, 2016 Initial Test Results PPB
Bldg
Location
AP
Rm 11 Sink Rm 11 Sink - Flush Rm 12 Sink Rm 13 Sink
Retest Results PPB
129 <1
Follow-up
Replace faucet and retest <1 <1
No action No action
It was noted that this faucet is in poor condition so it will be replaced and re-tested. Two adjacent rooms were sampled during retesting and all showed less than 1 ppb.
BMS
Rm 205 Rm 205 Rm 204 Rm 204
Science Lab Science Lab - Flush Science Lab Science Lab - Flush
26
4 1 2 <1
No action No action No action No action
42
<1 <1 <1 <1
No action No action No action No action
9 41 57 7
23 <1 6 <1 5 <1
Replace faucet, investigate & repair hot water cross connection. connection. Retest. No action No action No action No action
Adjacent room tested to confirm confirm results.
DO
Rm 111 Rm 111 Rm 110 Rm 110
Sink Sink – Flush Sink Sink – Flush
Adjacent room tested to confirm confirm results.
Nurse’s Sink Nurse’s Sink – Flush Rm 206 Science Lab EHMS Rm 206 Science Lab – Flush Rm 306 Science Lab Rm 306 Science Lab – Flush
Nurse’s sink had v arying results. During testing and retesting, it was noted both hot and cold faucets were supplying hot water. Further investigation will will continue concerning hot water cross cross connection. This faucet will be replaced, cross connection repaired and fixture retested.
TJ
Nurse’s Sink Kitchen Hand Sink Daycare Sink Upstairs South Sink
17,400 107 34 1,490
11 25 6 2
Replace faucet and retest Replace faucet and retest Replace faucet and retest No action
Initial test results negatively impacted by City hydrant flushing flushing the day before. Kitchen hand sink retest did not clear so faucet will will be replaced and retested. As a proactive measure, measure, both the nurse’s sink as well well as the daycare sink will be replaced and retested.
WP
Nurse’s Sink Nurse’s Sink - Flush Girls’ Bathroom Sink Girls’ Bathroom Sink - Flush
121
1 <1 <1 <1
Replace faucet and retest No action No action
City hydrant flushing in t he area, therefore adjacent sink tested. The retest confirms no action required; however, proactively replace nurses faucet and retest.
EdC
2nd Fl M Fountain 1st Fl W Fountain 1st Fl W Fountain-Flush
15 9
Replace fountain and retest 20 2
Replace fountain and retest
Drinking fountain at first floor women’s restroom during during testing and retesting ranged from from 9-20 ppb. All drinking fountains at Ed Center are the same type. Two will be replaced while while two will be removed.
