The Rockwood School District recently released lead testing results mandated by the state following the passage of the Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water Act in 2022.
The law requires all Missouri schools to test drinking water for lead contamination and take corrective action when lead levels exceed 5 parts per billion (ppb).
The federal government’s action level is 15 ppb.
All district facilities in the Eureka quadrant of the district had water outlets that exceeded the state’s 5 ppb limit, except for the Administrative Center, 111 E. North St., and the Maintenance Shop, 556 N. Central Ave.
School districts have until the 2024-2025 school year begins to remediate all water outlets with lead results over the 5-ppb threshold.
The Rockwood Board of Education is expected to adopt the calendar for the next school year today, Dec. 7, and according to board documents, Rockwood will begin the 2024-2025 school year on Aug. 19.
“We’re not alone in this new law. All school districts are going to be doing this, but we wanted to comply before August of next year due to the size of our district,” Chief Communications Officer Mary LaPak said. “We wanted to get a head start. We took out of service any of those water outlets that were over the state level of 5 ppb. Right now, we’re working on how we will remediate those.”
The district’s lead testing results can be viewed on its website, rsdmo.org, under the Wellness and Health section. The district provides the results for all water outlets that exceed the state limit by building and provides information on the effects of lead on people.
LaPak said a majority of the water outlets with high lead were a result of underusage.
Melissa May, chief of the Healthy Drinking Water Unit of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, oversees the Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water Act.
“The high results from the school district are likely from kitchen sinks that aren’t used very often,” she said. “By performing some regular maintenance – you know, cleaning out the aerators in the kitchen sink – it would be an easy way to correct the high lead levels.”
May said the state designed a program to help school districts meet the new requirements. She said by Jan. 1, 2024, districts must create an inventory of water outlets used for drinking and publish a plan available to the public on the method of testing the outlets for lead. In addition, districts must provide access to information about the health effects of lead.
“Along with the Drinking Water Act, the state fiscal 2023 budget included $27 million in American Rescue Act funds to assist schools with the process, and we have established funding eligibility and distribution criteria as required by the state statute and funding authority,” May said. “Every public school district in Missouri is eligible for reimbursement funds to cover the cost of having the law.”
LaPak said SCI Engineering of St. Charles, which performed the initial testing, is taking another look at outlets with high lead levels.
“Our kitchens are really a first priority because we wanted to make sure our kitchens were fully functional,” she said. “One of the first remediations they did was to remove the aerators on the faucets because, a lot of the times, lead can kind of collect in those aerators. We got the same company to come back out to test those again, and what we saw was, with a large number of those, that was the problem.”
LaPak said once the second tests are complete, the results will be posted on the district website.
May said that because the kitchen staff are constantly running water to clean dishes or cook, there is little opportunity for lead buildup in a faucet used frequently.
“The water they are using to rinse or serve food and whatnot is often used Monday through Friday, and so that water is constantly being circulated,” she said. “I wouldn’t think that that would be a cause for concern.”
While most of the high lead levels were found in kitchen faucets the district said aren’t used very often, some high results were found in drinking fountains. According to the district’s website, the fountains will be shut off until they can be fixed or replaced.
“What we found was that those outlets with really high results weren’t being used very often and that’s why they were testing so high,” LaPak said. “If a parent has any concern at all, they should talk to their doctor.”
May said Rockwood is taking all of the necessary steps to ensure the water is safe in its buildings.
“They’re on the right track, and they’re taking the steps to comply with this law,” she said.
Effects of lead on children
May said there are typically no noticeable symptoms of lead poisoning. It can cause neurological and behavioral health problems in addition to impaired growth and reproductive system complications.
“We know that children are most susceptible to the effects of lead, and lead exposure results in behavior and learning problems, lower IQ, hearing problems – things of that nature,” May said. “It can affect almost every other part of the body as well, but it most often affects children with learning and disabilities in classroom performance.”
According to the Department of Health and Senior Services, lead-based paint and dust are the most common sources of lead exposure in children. Toys, furniture, keys, pottery or porcelain products may also be high in lead.
The St. Louis County Health Department offers free home visits for assessing lead hazards. Those interested may call 314-615-5323.