In response to the September 2016 NYS legislation requiring public schools to test water systems for lead contamination, PCSD conducted a second round of comprehensive lead testing after an initial proactive round was conducted of all drinking/cooking water sources in March 2016. Out of an abundance of caution, the PCSD tested ALL of the remaining water fixtures in each school building regardless of its use or purpose.
Of the 228 faucets/fountains tested in March, 20 showed lead levels above the EPA’s 15 parts per billion (ppb) threshold for schools (the general public threshold is 20 ppb). All 20 drinking water fixtures identified in the initial March testing were taken offline or corrected and retested, as appropriate.
Over 600 fixtures were tested in November, including every classroom and restroom sink, even if they were not intended to be used for drinking. Of the more than 600 additional samples tested, 94 did not meet the NYS Education Department’s threshold of 15 ppb. Immediate action was taken by turning off and/or placing a “do not drink” sign on these fixtures:
PCSD Building Restroom/Classroom Sinks
Allen Creek Elementary School 4 sinks
Jefferson Road Elementary School 12 sinks
Mendon Center Elementary School 9 sinks
Park Road Elementary School 4 sinks
Thornell Road Elementary School 11 sinks
Barker Road Middle School 14 sinks
Calkins Road Middle School 1 sink
Mendon High School 20 sinks
Sutherland High School 6 sinks
BRMS-East Administrative Offices 13 sinks
Transportation/Maintenance/Food Service Building 0 sinks
Lomb Building 0 sinks
Remediation of these sink fixtures may include replacement, repairs or taking them offline. Retesting will be conducted on the corrected units and “do not drink” signage will remain until such units meet the mandated 15 ppb or less threshold.
The sampling in Pittsford CSD was conducted by Envoy Environmental, a third-party environmental consulting firm, which utilized NYS certified laboratory National Testing Laboratory (Cleveland, OH) for testing. Envoy’s result summaries of this latest round of tests, as well as the March test results, can be found below. You will also find resources to assist in informing you about the recently enacted legislation, a sample of the “do not drink” signage we are posting, and links to other state and federal websites for more information.
As always, the health and safety of our staff and students is our first priority. While the state mandate requires testing every five years, the PCSD will continue to monitor and test throughout our remediation periods.
