Lead Findings in Water at Both Schools
Lead Findings in Water at Both Schools
To the Students, Families, and Staff of Hatfield Public Schools: During recent voluntary lead and copper sampling, some water taps/fixtures at our schools had detections for lead. In accordance with the USEPA’s Revised 3Ts Manual, MassDEP’s Lead Contamination Control Act (LCCA) program recommends that schools and early education and care programs evaluate and remediate all taps/fixtures used for drinking ,food preparation or medical uses with results above the Massachusetts recommended certified laboratory detection limit of 1 parts per billion (ppb) until the lowest possible concentration of lead is achieved.
The administration takes these results (See links Below) very seriously and is moving immediately to safeguard the health of the students, faculty and staff. To safeguard our students and other sensitive individuals (including women who are pregnant or nursing), our school is working closely and cooperatively with MassDEP, local water district, board of health, and others and taking actions as follows: What we are doing:
1. Beginning March 15 we are shutting down all bubblers or fixtures with lead test results over 15 ppb.
2. We have removed from service all taps/fixtures with lead concentrations over the school’s lead shut down level (e.g 15 ppb) in drinking water. Signs are posted on these taps/fixtures.
3. We are making available any information requested to all students, parents, teachers, staff and local officials.
4. We are implementing a flushing in the school at taps and fixtures that are found to detect lead above the MassDEP recommended laboratory detection limit of 1 ppb. This includes the daily flushing of taps and fixtures and the limitation of water consumption to cold-water faucets for food and beverage preparation.
5. We will undertake efforts to determine the cause of this lead exceedance and evaluate the adequacy of our existing corrosion control system. We will develop and put into place a corrective action plan as quickly as possible following additional testing and consultation.
6. Through periodic reports, we will keep you informed as to the progress of our efforts. These reports will serve to let you know what has been done and what is being done to safeguard against lead exposure from drinking water at our school(s)/early education and care facility (ies).
Information and Context Lead:
The Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) for lead is zero. When lead is present in water, it is typically due to the water flowing through service lines or internal pipes or plumbing in buildings with lead pipes or plumbing with lead solder or brass. Infants and children who drink water containing lead in excess experience delays in their physical or mental development. Children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities.
Adults who drink this water over many years could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure. Because lead may pose serious health risks, both the EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) agree that “there is no known safe level of lead in a child’s blood” .
A Reminder: The water system at the school is not unlike water systems found in other buildings. Older plumbing systems and fixtures, especially, can contain lead pipes or solder that can allow lead to enter tap water. If you have questions about lead in your home’s water supply, and are using a private well, you can have your water tested. If you are receiving water from a public water system (i.e., if you pay a water bill) you can call your local water department for information or check the Consumer Confidence Report sent out by the public water supplier annually.
If you have any questions on this information please contact the respective building principal or the Superintendent of Schools.
Sincerely,
Michael Wood
Michael L. Wood
Superintendent of Schools
413-247-5641
WATER RESULTS
Modified from EPA’s "3T's for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools: Revised Technical Guidance