Lead Found In School Drinking Fountain Has Districts Reviewing How They Check Water
By Kelly Ryan
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Drinking fountains at a Sonoma County school were shut down after school officials found high levels of lead.
Parents of Healdsburg Elementary School students were notified of the issue linked to aging pipes.
The worries over the infrastructure issues extend well beyond Sonoma County. In the Sacramento Unified School District, officials say they rely on the expertise of city water officials to make sure the quality of the school water isn't compromised.
"The various water districts that supply water to our schools they're responsible for testing the water before it even gets to our school," district spokesman Gabe Ross said.
The Vacaville Unified School District tells CBS13 it has recently renovated its schools and it has a hazmat report once a year that covers water pipes and aging infrastructure that could be dangerous. If it finds a problem, it has the water tested.
Roseville school officials say they rely on the city to do professional testing, but if a student or teacher has a concern about the water in any of its fountains, they are shut down and checked.
In Davis, the water quality is tested by the city annually. School officials say they also check anytime renovations are done. They add they have all-copper piping, which is considered the gold standard of water safety equipment.
Sacramento County's environmental management department tells CBS13 it monitors small water systems.
The State Water Resources Control Board says if a school is part of a public water system, then the state has no oversight of the school. That means schools are relying on their local water system's testing and their own eyes and noses to spot a problem.