Get out the Lead Water Testing
2024-2025 District Lead Water Testing Results:
In August 2024, all buildings were tested for lead. Link to the test results: https://5il.co/31oqy
2023-2024
Elementary Lead Water Testing Results: In July 2023, the Elementary lead water testing was completed. All water within the Belle Elementary was below five (5) parts per billion (ppb).
Link to the test results: https://5il.co/2bbcf
Dear Maries Co. R 2 Patrons:
The Missouri Legislature passed the Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water Act in the spring of 2022. Lead is a toxic metal that can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels. Lead is persistent, and it can bio-accumulate in the body over time.
Young children, infants, and fetuses are particularly vulnerable to lead because the physical and behavioral effects of lead occur at lower exposure levels in children than in adults. A dose of lead that would have little effect on an adult can have a significant effect on a child. In children, low levels of exposure have been linked to damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing, and impaired formation and function of blood cells.
Provisions of the Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water Act dictates that during the 2023-24 school year, all schools must provide drinking water that has a lead concentration level below five (5) parts per billion (ppb). On or before January of 2024, schools must identify all outlets for drinking water or for all cooking purposes and then develop a plan for testing of those water sources. Before students return to school in August of 2024, all testing was done and a plan developed for any needed remediation. This plan must be publicized.
Because there are very few approved testing agencies in the state and all schools are required to comply with this legislation, Maries Co. R 2 has been proactive in identifying all water sources so that timelines can be met. Priority was given to facilities that house early childhood education programs, kindergartens and elementary schools. Our Elementary identified water sources were tested earlier this summer (July 2023) by the Department of Health and Senior Services lab. There were no issues with our Elementary samples.
By protocol, each identified water source must be tested after several hours of inactivity. Samples were taken from the Elementary, Middle and High school buildings over the summer of 2024.
According to the protocol outlined in RSMo Section 160.077, remediation steps occur in this order if an issue is identified:
1. Change the aerator or faucet itself as sometimes particulates settle and accumulate in the outlet. Once replaced, the outlet would be retested. If the tests are no longer over the threshold, the outlet is again considered safe.
2. If the problem is not in the outlet itself, then an approved filter may be installed while further testing is done to determine the source of the contamination.
3. If the internal piping is thought to be the source of the contamination, then replacing that piping is the next step in remediation. Retesting would then occur.
4. If the external piping from the point of water origin is thought to be the source of the
Contamination, then replacing that piping is the next step in remediation. Retesting would then occur. While this investigation continues, those outlets where samples were over the threshold will be not be used for drinking water or food preparation, and in some instances, it may be necessary to shut off water to the outlet entirely. If this results in an insufficient drinking water supply, bottled water will be provided.
Maries Co. R 2 Schools takes the issue of lead in drinking water seriously as the health risks are well documented. We are exercising an abundance of caution as we work to eliminate sources of
Contamination where the samples were over the approved threshold. It is important to remember that this legislation applies to water supplied for drinking and food preparation/cleanup. It does not apply to showers, hand washing stations or toilet flushing.
As the district works to test all water sources, updates will be provided via the school website.
Sincerely,
Dr. Lenice Basham
Superintendent