Two Hunterdon County elementary schools have lead in their water that is above the level where action is required to be taken, according to letters released on Tuesday.
Lambertville Public School and West Amwell Township Elementary School, both part of the South Hunterdon Regional School district, had tests showing lead in water in excess of 15 parts per billion. Federal guidelines require immediate action to be taken if a number is higher than 15 parts per billion.
A "first draw" test at the point where water comes into the Lambertville Public School building came back at 320 parts per billion, or 21 times the minimum number. A flush sample, taken after the water had been running for several minutes, showed a significantly lower result of 2.3 parts per billion.
A total of four sample sites, including at the point of entry, revealed elevated levels of lead in the water. The sites included two water fountains and a kitchen sink.
Two water fountains were turned off with additional remedial action to be taken and the fountains re-sampled. The remedial action on the sink and the point of entry pipe was posting signs that water was for hand-washing only and not safe to drink, according to the letter.
The tests at Lambertville Public School show a hallway water fountain had a flush sample of 54 parts per billion after having a 5.4 first draw result. That water fountain has been turned off.
A water fountain in "Room 7" has also been turned off after first draw results revealed lead was at 16 parts per billion. That number dropped to 7.1 in the flush sample reading.
The school's kitchen sink had a first draw result of 6, but a flush sample of 44. A sign has been posted stating the water can only be used for hand washing.
Two samples at West Amwell came back with elevated levels of lead. One was from a water fountain in "room 115," which had a first draw result of 18 parts per billion and a flush sample result of 4.2. The water fountain was turned off.
The school nurse sink had a first draw number of 15 and a flush sample of 4.2. That sink will also have a sign that says "Do Not Drink-Safe for Handwashing Only" posted on it, according to the letter.
West Amwell Elementary School's website notes the samples were collected on Sept. 9 of last year and results came back on Oct. 11.
There was no information posted on the Lambertville Public School site. It is not known why the letters were sent out only yesterday and no one from the district has responded to a request for comment.
"Recent test results of high levels of lead in Lambertville and West Amwell public schools have sent a chill through the community," Jeff Tittel, a Lambertville resident and director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. "Parents and teachers are very concerned about the levels of lead that were found in faucets and fountains in these schools."
Childhood exposure to lead of any amount can cause learning disabilities, as well as lifelong health problems. Tittel said the 15 parts per billion standard for schools is too high when compared to the Private Well Testing Act, which requires any amount above 5 parts per billion be addressed. He also criticized the lack of effort, until recently, to push for water testing in schools statewide.
In May of last year, Gov. Chris Christie announced a plan to test the water in all of the state's schools.
"These children have been put at risk since schools weren't doing what they needed to be doing for many years," Tittel said. "For years, children across the state, including in this district, have been drinking water with high levels of lead in it.
"Unfortunately, New Jersey's way of dealing with lead in the drinking water is the Poland Spring Policy to just buy bottled water."
A number of other schools in Hunterdon County have already tested for lead in water, and addressed any elevated levels, it has been reported.
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