Lead levels higher than 5 parts-per-billion (ppb) were found in required lead testing at Lincoln Trail Elementary and Mahomet-Seymour High School.
Per Illinois Public Act 99-922, the Mahomet-Seymour School District has tested the lead levels in the water from every outlet that could be used for drinking or food preparation at Sangamon and Lincoln Trail Elementary schools by Ideal Environmental Engineering (IDEAL) on Nov. 22, 2017.
The Act states that all buildings that house students in grades Pre-K through 5 and were built before Jan. 1, 1987 must complete water testing by the end of 2017. Schools built between January 2, 1987 and January 1, 2000 must complete testing by the end of 2018.
While the law only requires lead testing of water in Pre-K through 5 buildings, the Mahomet-Seymour School District tested water in all buildings except Middletown Prairie Elementary, which opened in 2014.
After sampling reports are submitted to the Illinois Department of Public Health, school districts are also required to provide the results to parents and legal guardians of enrolled students.
Sample results from Sangamon and Lincoln Trail Elementary, Mahomet-Seymour Junior High and Mahomet-Seymour High School can be found at https://goo.gl/qrh3TX.
School districts are also required to notify parents or guardians individually in writing or electronically if lead is found at levels above 5 parts per billion (ppb) within any samples.
Samples taken from the mentor room at Lincoln Trail Elementary showed 13.5 ppb of lead and samples taken from the sink outside of the CAIR Center Office showed 28.2 ppb of lead.
Parents with children in each school were notified via email Thursday.
MSHS Principal Shannon Cheek and Lincoln Trail Elementary Principal Jeff Starwalt wrote, “The sink where the slightly elevated levels of lead were found were rarely used, and have now been shut off. Further mitigation will take place in the near future with newer plumbing fixtures being installed.”
The Illinois Department of Public Health set a minimum reporting limit of 2 ppb for school districts. Samples taken at Sangamon, Lincoln Trail, MSJHS and MSHS came back with lead levels higher than 2 ppb.
The US EPA standard for mitigation levels for schools is 20 ppb.
In a letter to parents, Superintendent Lindsey Hall told parents to “be assured that we will continue to take all action necessary to protect student health. Mitigation and water management are in progress. Water outlets are being shut off, and we have already begun to take appropriate remedial action for any levels above the laboratory reporting limit.”
Sangamon Elementary
Table 1.3 – Results over 2 ppb
|
Sample ID |
Sample Location Description |
Fixture Type |
Sample Type |
Concentration |
|
S-08b |
Outside Room 1 – Left |
DF – Drinking Fountain |
Flush |
2.21 ppb |
|
S-09b |
Outside Room 1 – Right |
DF – Drinking Fountain |
Flush |
2.27 ppb |
|
S-13a |
Kitchen – Prep Sink – Sprayer |
O – Other |
First Draw |
2.73 ppb |
Lincoln Trail Elementary
Table 1.2 – Results over 5 ppb
|
Sample ID |
Sample Location Description |
Fixture Type |
Sample Type |
Concentration |
|
LT-08a |
Mentor Room |
S – Sink |
First Draw |
13.5 ppb |
Table 1.3 – Results over 2 ppb
|
Sample ID |
Sample Location Description |
Fixture Type |
Sample Type |
Concentration |
|
LT-01b |
Kitchen – Prep Sink – Left |
KS – Kitchen Sink |
Flush |
2.12 ppb |
|
LT-02b |
Kitchen – Prep Sink – Right |
KS – Kitchen Sink |
Flush |
2.58 ppb |
|
LT-08a |
Mentor Room |
S – Sink |
First Draw |
13.5 ppb |
|
LT-08b |
Mentor Room |
S – Sink |
Flush |
4.29 ppb |
|
LT-09a |
Teachers’ Lounge |
S – Sink |
First Draw |
3.21 ppb |
|
LT-09b |
Teachers’ Lounge |
S – Sink |
Flush |
4.30 ppb |
Mahomet-Seymour Junior High
Table 1.3 – Results over 2 ppb
|
Sample ID |
Sample Location Description |
Fixture Type |
Sample Type |
Concentration |
|
MJ-03b |
Outside Room 111 – Left |
DF – Drinking Fountain |
Flush |
2.07 ppb |
|
MJ-08a |
Outside Gym A – Left |
DF – Drinking Fountain |
First Draw |
2.02 ppb |
|
MJ-08b |
Outside Gym A – Left |
DF – Drinking Fountain |
Flush |
2.80 ppb |
|
MJ-11a |
Outside Gym A – Right |
DF – Drinking Fountain |
First Draw |
2.80 ppb |
|
MJ-11b |
Outside Gym A – Right |
DF – Drinking Fountain |
Flush |
3.23 ppb |
|
MJ-12a |
Kitchen – Prep – West Wall – Left |
KS – Kitchen Sink |
First Draw |
4.10 ppb |
|
MJ-12b |
Kitchen – Prep – West Wall – Left |
KS – Kitchen Sink |
Flush |
4.00 ppb |
|
MJ-13a |
Kitchen – Prep – West Wall – Right |
KS – Kitchen Sink |
First Draw |
3.44 ppb |
|
MJ-13b |
Kitchen – Prep – West Wall – Right |
KS – Kitchen Sink |
Flush |
3.94 ppb |
|
MJ-14a |
Kitchen – Prep – East Wall |
KS – Kitchen Sink |
First Draw |
3.58 ppb |
|
MJ-14b |
Kitchen – Prep – East Wall |
KS – Kitchen Sink |
Flush |
3.62 ppb |
Mahomet-Seymour High School
Table 1.2 – Results over 5 ppb
|
Sample ID |
Sample Location Description |
Fixture Type |
Sample Type |
Concentration |
|
MH 35a |
CAIR Center Office |
S – Sink |
First Draw |
28.2 ppb |
|
Sample ID |
Sample Location Description |
Fixture Type |
Sample Type |
Concentration |
|
MH 12a |
Ag Room |
DF – Drinking Fountain |
First Draw |
3.93 ppb |
|
MH 16a |
Kitchen-Prep |
KS – Kitchen Sink |
First Draw |
2.66 ppb |
|
MH 17a |
Kitchen-Serving |
KS – Kitchen Sink |
First Draw |
4.56 ppb |
|
MH 23a |
Teacher’s Lounge |
S – Sink |
First Draw |
4.95 ppb |
|
MH 28a |
Home Ec. Room B55 – Kitchen – 1 |
S – Sink |
Flush |
2.02 ppb |
|
MH 30a |
Home Ec. Room B55 – Kitchen – 5 |
S – Sink |
First Draw |
2.30 ppb |
|
MH 35a |
CAIR Center Office |
S – Sink |
First Draw |
28.2 ppb |
