Boston Struggles With High Lead Levels In Schools

Sebring, OH, Newark, NJ, and Flint, MI, have another city joining their ranks: Boston, the latest location to face challenges with high lead levels, discovered at local schools.

“Testing conducted in recent months found elevated lead levels in at least one fountain at four of the six schools. Lead contamination was also found at a fifth school, but officials don’t believe anyone drank from the fountains,” The Boston Globe recently reported.

The city tried to address the problem with a pilot project overhauling drinking water systems at certain locations.

“School officials recently launched a $300,000 project to repair and upgrade plumbing so the fountain water could be restored at six buildings,” the Globe reported in March.

But the plan has not gone smoothly. The city has already had some mishaps in its effort to solve the problem.

“School officials had previously told the Globe that none of the new fountains had been turned on since being installed. But they had learned in recent days that the fountains had been mistakenly activated, they said,” according to the Globe. “The fountains are now shut off in all six schools. Bottled water is being provided there instead, officials said.”

“Though the water fountains at those schools were supposed to be shut off during the testing period, Boston Public Schools said a third-party contractor may have turned the fountains back on before the water was considered safe,” WFXT reported.

John Sullivan, Chief Engineer and Operations Officer, Boston Water & Sewer Commission, weighed in with a statement.

“I have been in contact with colleagues from the Boston Public Schools and am confident that they are taking the necessary steps to assure that fountains will only be activated after all appropriate tests confirm that the lead levels of all active fountains are below the action level. I will continue to work with Boston Public Schools and provide guidance as they move forward with their plan," he said.

To read more about the threat of lead contamination visit Water Online’s Drinking Water Contaminant Removal Solutions Center.