Lead in Drinking Water Testing
To prevent exposure to lead contamination in the drinking water of Pennsylvania’s schools, the Public School Code was amended in June 2018 by Act 39 of 2018 to:
Encourage schools to test for lead in their drinking water;
Require schools that do not test for lead in drinking water to discuss the issue at a public meeting; and
Implement a plan if results exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) national primary drinking water standard of 15 parts per billion (ppb).
This law is effective beginning with the 2018-19 school year.
Under Act 39 of 2018, schools may, but are not required to, test for lead levels annually in the drinking water of any facility where children attend school. If a school tests for lead levels in their drinking water and finds lead levels in excess of the EPA’s current action level of 15 ppb, the school must immediately implement a plan to ensure that no child or adult is exposed to lead-contaminated drinking water and provide alternate sources of drinking water.
To learn more about testing for lead in drinking water, please visit PA Department of Education’s webpage “ Lead in Drinking Water“ or the EPA website “Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water”
Lead in Drinking Water Testing Plan
Following EPA guidelines, maintenance personnel will take random water samples from water fountains and kitchen faucets in each building. These samples are sent to a certified lab for testing for lead contamination. The test results for these water samples test will be communicated to staff, students and parents and posted below.