Some Holley school locations test high for lead, but not at drinking fountains
HOLLEY – The school district had some sinks test positive for elevated lead levels, but none of the drinking fountains were too high for lead.
“We are very fortunate that no drinking fountains in the entire district were cited,” the district stated on its website. “Mainly sinks used for hand-washing were detected.”
Holley and other school districts in the state are now required by NY to test for lead in any water sources. NY is requiring action for any water source with lead at 15 parts per billion or more.
The district has taken the following corrective actions:
• All outlets detected have been taken out of service.
• Signage will be attached to each affected outlet stating “Do not use for drinking water.”
• Holley will clean the aerators, re-test the first draw, and flush samples to identify if the problem is at the outlet or interior plumbing.
• The district will replace the affected outlets with approved fixtures and re-test.
• Holley will develop a protocol for future testing, although the state does not require the next sampling event to occur until 2020.
The following locations exceeded the 15 ppb threshold:
• Elementary School – faculty sink (93.0 ppb), bathroom sink (20.0 ppb), bathroom sink (16.0 ppb), classroom sink (17.0 ppb), faculty sink (100.0 ppb), kitchen sink (18.0 ppb), classroom sink (31.0 ppb) and another classroom sink (33.0 ppb).
• Junior-Senior High School – kitchen sink (40 ppm) and kitchen sink (16.0 pub).
• Woodlands Pavilion – bathroom sink (19.0 ppb), bathroom sink (26.0 ppb) and a kitchen sink (18.0 ppb).
(Samples at the Woodlands Stadium and transportation facility were all below the state action level.)
The school district’s website includes a comment from the district as well as the report on the testing.
