Which St. Charles schools have unsafe levels of lead in water
Water testing in St. Charles schools revealed unsafe lead contamination at most of its 19 buildings, primarily in sinks. The Environmental Protection Agency-established limit for safe lead content of water is 15 ppb (parts per billion). Fountains and sinks with high levels were removed, replaced, equipped with a special filter or tagged with "Hand Washing Only" (HWO) signs.
Overall• 608 fountains/sinks tested, 129 (21.2%) contaminated*
Sinks• 345 sinks, 106 (30.7%) contaminated* (3 faculty lounge sinks, 7 kitchen sinks, 8 nurse's office sinks, 20 science lab sinks, 68 other sinks)
Drinking fountains
• 263 fountains, 23 (8.75%) contaminated
The SchoolsAnderson Elementary
• 7 fountains, none contaminated
• 6 of 23 (26%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 372 ppb, sink in room 101 sink (HWO)
Bell Graham Elementary
• 7 fountains, none contaminated
• 4 of 23 (17.4%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 35.4 ppb, sink in room 204 (HWO)
Corron Elementary
• 8 fountains, 22 sinks none contaminated
Davis Primary
• 3 of 11 (27%) fountains contaminated
• 11 of 19 (57.9%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 389 ppb, sink in room 203 (HWO)
Ferson Creek
• 5 of 14 (35.7) fountains contaminated
• 3 of 16 (18.8%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 52.5 ppb, fountain in room 121 (filter)
Fox Ridge
• 3 of 15 (20%) fountains contaminated
• 11 of 15 (73.3%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 89.1 ppb, sink in room 101 (HWO)
Lincoln Elementary
• 3 of 6 (50%) fountains contaminated
• 2 of 4 (50%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 239 ppb, fountain in room 105 (abandoned)
Munhall Elementary
• 10 fountains, none contaminated
• 4 of 13 (30.8%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 31.4 ppb, sink in room 103 (HWO)
Norton Creek Elementary
• 5 fountains, 25 sinks none contaminated
Richmond Intermediate
• 8 fountains, none contaminated
• 2 of 22 (9%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 25.7 ppb, sink in room 126 (HWO)
Wasco Elementary School
• 3 of 10 (30%) fountains contaminated
• 9 of 16 (56.3%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 233 ppb, sink in Room 303 (HWO)
Wild Rose Elementary
• 1 of 12 (8.3%) fountains contaminated
• 2 of 18 (11%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 29.3 ppb, kitchen sink in room 720 (filter)
Mades Johnson Center
• 5 fountains, none contaminated
• 3 of 13 (23%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 34.8 ppb, sink in room 115A (HWO)
Haines Middle School
• 11 fountains, none contaminated
• 3 of 8 (37.5%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 42.2 ppb, nurse's office sink in room 170 (filter)
Thompson Middle School
• 18 fountains, 15 sinks none contaminated
Wredling Middle School
• 3 of 28 (10.7%) fountains contaminated
• 10 of 18 (55.6%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 70.1 ppb, teachers' lounge sink in room 507 (HWO)
St. Charles East High
• 2 of 41 (4.9%) fountains contaminated
• 20 of 40 (50%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 171 ppb, sink in room SC120 (filter)
St. Charles North High
• 44 fountains, none contaminated
• 16 of 25 (64%) sinks contaminated
Highest lead level: 570 ppb, nurse's office sink in Room 501D (HWO)
Administration building
2 fountains, 4 sinks none contaminated
Transportation building
1 fountain, 6 sinks none contaminated
SOURCE: Weaver Consultants Group North Central, LLC
* Improper flushing of the sink and fountain lines the night before testing may have contributed to some of the highest lead measurements.