Tests spark new concerns about lead at Montco school
New water tests at a Lower Merion school showed a cafeteria faucet suspected of having elevated lead levels now registers at an acceptable rate - but also found possible contaminants in a drinking fountain and a water line.
New water tests at a Lower Merion school showed a cafeteria faucet suspected of having elevated lead levels now registers at an acceptable rate - but also found possible contaminants in a drinking fountain and a water line.
The result of the drinking fountain test at Penn Wynne Elementary were at the Environmental Protection Agency's "action level," while the basement water line was near the action level, according to school officials.
In a letter to parents Thursday informing them of the test results, principal Shawn Bernatowicz said action-level readings are not necessarily a public-health concern, according to the EPA, but could require more testing and monitoring at the 600-student school.
He said the EPA noted that the presence of transient contaminants at the test site, such as dirt, could affect the results. Aqua America regularly screens the general water supply and has reported no safety concerns, the principal said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, if tap water contains lead at levels exceeding the EPA action level of 15 parts per billion, steps should be taken to minimize exposure to the lead in the water.
The CDC also said most studies show that exposure to lead-contaminated water alone probably would not increase blood lead levels in most adults, even if it was close to 15 ppb. But children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to the effects of lead exposure, which has been linked to brain damage and other health problems.
Aqua America has assured the district that the water piped to the school is regularly tested and is not contaminated.
Routine in-house water testing last week showed elevated levels of lead in the cafeteria faucet. The district turned off the water, switching to bottled water, and hired the firm Element Environmental Solutions to do additional screening.
Lower Merion schools spokesman Doug Young said Element was continuing to test the water at the school.
"What the EPA has shared is that you're not going to get reliable and consistent results with single tests," he said. "This is something you're going to be testing over time."
The next round of tests will attempt to determine if there is an issue with the water quality, at the point of delivery, or with some contaminant getting into the sample, Young said. Results are expected Monday.
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