DELTA — The quality of fountain water at Delta schools is being tested following concerns of "slightlypositiveleadlevels" in some taps.
A memo sent to parents today outlines a plan to evaluate water quality in the district's schools.
"WerecentlytestedwaterinthreeofourolderschoolsinDeltaandhavereceivedourfirstsetof resultsthisweek," reads a message from administrators posted at Deltasd.bc.ca.
"Eachschoolshowedslightlypositiveleadlevelsabovethemaximum acceptablelevelin 'pre-flush' pipewater(8outof15sampleswereabovethemaximum acceptablelevel).Threeofthesepositivetestswereindrinkingfountains."
("Flushing" referstolettingwaterin a taporfountainrunatleasttwominutesto“flush”out anystandingwaterinthepipes.)
Following those initial tests, requested by the provincial health officer, another round of water-quality testing will be done in the Delta district's older (pre-1989) facilities.
The memo doesn't mention any specific schools.
In a memo to parents, the school district says it is "committed to the health and safety of all its students and staff.
"Our testing program is underway, with all results expected back from the laboratory by mid-May. Once results are in, the district will act on any concerns and communicate to schools and parents.
"In the interim, schools are undertaking preventative measures, which includes running water for a couple of minutes at all drinking fountains and classroom faucets each morning to mitigate any trace of any potential contaminants in the water."
In recent "post-flush" testing,onlyone source(outof15)wasabove themaximumacceptablelevel of lead, according to the district.
"Thisdrinkingfountaintestedat0.001mg/Labove themaximumacceptablelevel.Allothers showedsignificantdeclineinleadlevelsafterflushingtowellbelowmaximumacceptablelevels."
According to its website, the district's facilitiesdepartmenthasputtogetheraninitialmitigationplanasof Wednesday (April27) thatincludes:
• Removingfromservicethedrinking fountain that testedabovethe maximum acceptablelevelpost-flush.
• School-basedadministratorsinallsitesbuiltbefore1989havereceived instructionstobegindailymorningflushingofallpipes.
• Watertestingwillbeperformedinallsitesbuiltbefore1989onSunday,May 1
• Futureplanswillbedevelopeduponreceiptofthetestresults fromthe laboratory.
• Communicationwithstaffandparentswillbemadeasnewinformation becomesavailableornewprotocolsaredeveloped.
In a separate "About Delta Water" memo posted on its website, the district says no lead pipes are used in its water system.
"Buildingsbuiltpriorto1989 havecopperpiping,andstandardpracticewastoexternallysolderpipeswithacompoundthat mayhaveincludedlead.In1989,theBCPlumbingCoderestrictedtheuseofleadcomponentsin solderinallnewbuildingwaterpipes."