Lead found in two Rockville Centre water fountains

There were only two locations in the entire district that had an elevated lead level. That tells me all our pipes are in good shape.”

Robert Bartels, assistant superintendent

After having its water tested for lead contamination, the Rockville Centre School District was informed that two water fountains in the district had higher-than-average levels of lead, and they are being replaced.

Several school districts across Long Island were found to have lead in their water, caused not by contamination of the water source but by old, corroding pipes. Many school buildings are several decades old, and lead from old pipes sometimes leaks into the water.

According to Robert Bartels, the district’s assistant superintendent of business, every water fountain and all sinks that were used for cleaning utensils were tested, including kitchen sinks and sinks in faculty rooms. Toilets and slop sinks were not tested. Enviroscience Consultants Inc. did the testing.

“There were only two locations in the entire district that had an elevated lead level,” Bartels said. “That tells me all our pipes are in good shape.”

One of the affected water fountains is at South Side High School, and the other is at Watson Elementary School. As soon as the results were known, the fountains were shut off. The district ordered new fountains to replace them, and will re-test the water once they are installed. Bartels said that the new fixtures had already arrived, and should be installed in a week or two.

The lead levels in those two fountains were 30 parts per billion. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, action should be taken if lead in water exceeds 15 ppb.

When the district sent the samples in, testing was elective. Since then, New York state has passed a law mandating that all school districts have their water tested for lead.