To protect public health (children), the Public Health Law and New York State Health Department (NYS DOH) regulations require that all public schools and boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES) test lead levels in water from every outlet that is being used, or could potentially be used, for drinking or cooking.
If lead is found at any water outlet at levels above 15 parts per billion (pb) or 0.015 mg/l, the NYS DOH requires that the school take action to reduce the exposure to lead. We are required to use a NYSDOH approved sampling method referred to as first draw sampling and to then submit samples to a NYS approved analytical laboratory. A first draw sample of school drinking water is a sample collected after the water has been sitting in the plumbing system for a method determined period of time. The intent of the first draw sample, is to mimic a person getting a drink of water from the outlet without running it first.
Applicable outlets at this facility were sampled to meet the requirements of NYSDOH 67‐4 for testing the drinking water in schools. All collected samples were then submitted to one of two approved laboratories. Samples were analyzed according to approved EPA Methods per NYSDOH Environmental Laboratory Approval Program protocol.
As required by the regulation all analytical results are listed below. Those that are above the action level are identified. All outlets that exceed the action level have been addressed in one of the several permissible options.