Tacoma is expanding water tests to every school in the district. It’s still not clear why six elementary schools have high lead levels, but investigators are focused on water fixtures.
Key Developments:
- Some water tested as high as some of the homes in Flint Michigan’s water crisis. Explanation of level ranges below.
- Tests were conducted nearly a year ago, but results weren't reviewed by district until now.
- The district says the problem isn't the water itself, but may be the faucets and fixtures in the school.
- Tacoma Schools has placed an employee on paid administrative leave pending investigation for water quality testing and reporting.
- The district shut off all water sources and handed out bottled water to students and staff members
- Samples were taken at Horace Mann and Jennie Reed schools Tuesday morning.
- All schools in the city will be tested for lead contamination. Testing will take several weeks to complete.
- Find team coverage, resources on lead in water at this link.
- Find information on how to get your child tested for lead poisoning here.
What they found so far at the Madison Head Start Program and Whittier, Horace Mann, Jennie Reed, Delong and Manitou Park elementary schools, is that certain water fixtures within the campuses released more lead than others.
What they don't know yet is if the highest levels of lead came from the faucets that students drink from. It’s the biggest fear moving forward, that the most contaminated pipes actually flow into the drinking fountains that hundreds of kids use every day.
It’s why the Tacoma School District says it's taking the voluntary step to test all schools in the district for lead in water, not just the ones where recent reports show high levels of lead in the water supply.
For parents who are worried for their kids’ well-being, health officials say it doesn't hurt to consult the experts.
"If a parent is concerned, they should check in with their health care provider. Certainly people get fearful when they don't have all the information immediately. And it's challenging for all of us, really, to have to wait,” Edie Jeffers with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department said.
Private contractors collected water samples at Mann and Reed elementary schools Tuesday morning. Results may not be available for a few days as labs are said to be overwhelmed.
The EPA says when it comes to lead, there is no safe level, and last year's lead testing at Reed Elementary showed lead levels 150 times higher than what's recommended.
How lead in water is measured
Lead in water is measured in terms of parts per billion (ppb). If a test comes back with lead levels higher than 15 ppb, the EPA recommends that homeowners and municipalities take steps to reduce that level.
In Flint Michigan’s water crisis, the highest level found in Flint was 13,000 ppb.
According to a Washington Post article, a cause for concern can start at 5 ppb. A team examining Flint's water crisis says 5 ppb is below the borderline for EPA acceptability, but they say levels this high can be a cause for concern, particularly for young children.
Where can I find more information about lead?
Please visit the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department's webpage on lead frequently asked questions and resources.
Cox Media Group
