Excessive levels of lead have been found in the drinking water at two schools in Granby, Mass.
District officials notified parents in a letter that elevated levels of lead were detected at Granby Junior/Senior High School and East Meadow School.
"We have removed from service all water outlets which had lead levels over the action level, except the high school kitchen sink, which is being flushed out on a daily basis," the district says.
WWLP-TV reports that the state of Massachusetts tested 20 fixtures at the two schools and found five that exceeded acceptable levels for lead.
Other steps the school system has taken to reduce health risks:
- Developing a flushing and water-usage plan to safeguard against lead exposure from drinking water at the non-bubbler tap that was found to be above the state “action level” for lead.
- Creating a public information process that will distribute outreach material to all students, parents, teachers, staff and local officials.
- Conducting testing at outlets (faucets, water fountains, etc.) where students and staff get water for drinking, beverage prep and cooking.
- Daily monitoring of the pH of water in schools and weekly sampling for lead.
Since 2002, the district says, it has operated a corrosion control treatment system that helps prevent lead in the pipes from dissolving into the water. Because of the recent test results, officials conceded that the corrosion control system may require adjustment or modification.
"This was not an emergency," the district said in its letter to parents. "If it had been, you would have been notified immediately. The school is working closely with [the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection] and has already testing its water quality and adjusting its corrosion control."
Video from WWLP-TV:
