Testing for Lead in Water in our Schools
To protect the health of our students and faculty, Hamilton County Schools will conduct sampling, testing, and reporting for lead in drinking water across 53 schools in the district this summer. The schools selected for testing were constructed before January 1, 1998. Lead testing and appropriate remediation will begin the last week in May. An interactive map with lead test results for each school is available on this page.
Why Test
In 2018, the state of Tennessee passed a law requiring school districts to implement policies to test for lead in drinking water sources in schools. The EPA action level for lead in drinking water is 15 parts per billion (ppb). Under the state of Tennessee law, any source where testing results are equal to or greater than 20 ppb will immediately be removed from service, and retesting of the source will occur within 90 days of corrective action. Hamilton County Schools will follow EPA guidelines and will take corrective action at any source with a testing result equal to or greater than 15 ppb.
What Happens After Testing
For each source that tests above recommended levels for lead, Hamilton County Schools will implement:
- Immediate Action (shutting off outlets that fail tests, sharing results, and posting signage);
- Short-Term Control Measures (while the outlet is closed, flushing, and retesting); and
- Permanent Control Measures (the use of a filter or other remediation to provide safe water at the source)
Hamilton County Schools has already begun to install filters (which are certified to produce safe drinking water) and will continue to do so to ensure the safety of water in schools. All sources where lead is identified at or above the EPA recommended level of 15 ppb will immediately be marked as “out-of-service” with appropriate signage and corrective action taken before students return for the 2020-2021 school year.
Hamilton County Schools sees this project as an opportunity to increase awareness of lead in drinking water and to improve the public health of families across the area. HCS will continue to communicate with families to notify of lead testing results and corrective actions taken for water sources. We are committed to keeping you informed every step of the way as we test and improve the water quality in our schools.