School: fountainheads were source of lead traces in Wheeler Avenue School's water

Fountainheads on four water fountains at the Wheeler Avenue School are being blamed for lead contamination that was discovered by tests that were done during the spring recess in April.

“As always, the health and safety of our staff and students is our priority,” Superintendent Constance Evelyn said in a letter mailed to parents on May 3. “We will keep the community fully informed as we comprehensively engage in the water testing process at Wheeler Avenue Elementary School.”

Evelyn said that the water tests were performed as a “proactive measure” in response to federal and state issues with contaminated water in recent months. The results are preliminary.

The Environmental Protection Agency requires that lead content in drinking water does not exceed 15 parts per billion. Evelyn said that the highest of the four contaminated fountains was 29 parts per billion, and that a specialist from the Ronkonkoma-based water testing company Enviroscience told her that he’s discovered as high as 2,400 parts per billion in school drinking water.

The contaminated fountains have been disconnected. Replacement fountainheads were ordered, and the fountains that met the EPA guidelines are still in use. A second round of testing began at the school on May 5 to confirm the findings of the preliminary testing.

Most lead gets into water sources after it leaves the local well or treatment plant and comes into contact with plumbing materials containing lead. Hot water is likely to contain higher levels of lead than cold water. Low levels of lead in the blood stream are associated with brain damage that can cause behavioral problems, learning disabilities and impaired growth.

The contaminated areas are spread out across the school: near the staff bathroom, Room 102, Room 203 and a fountain near the library. The longer that water sits in the plumbing system, the higher the risk for lead, which is why Evelyn said that custodians are running the fountains every morning for several minutes.

Evelyn said the results of the second round of testing would take several days to process, but that she would keep the community apprised of the situation.

“They know as much as I do at this point,” she said. “And as soon as I know more, they will know more.”