7 West Ada School District schools test positive for 'actionable' levels of lead in water

BOISE, Idaho (CBS 2) — The water test results for 7 schools in the West Ada School District came back positive for above normal levels of lead.

According to information on the West Ada School District website, the testing found that these schools had one or more water fixtures that had levels of lead higher than the .015 parts per billion: Christine Donnell Elementary, Frontier Elementary. Lake Hazel Middle. Lowell Scott Middle, McMillan Elementary, Star Elementary, and Ustick Elementary.

During the most recent Spring Break, the district specifically tested all schools built prior to 1986, a total of 21 schools, because that was the year when laws were put into place to ban lead solder and restrict the lead content of faucets, pipes, and other plumbing materials.

The results were released to the public last week and parents of the affected schools were notified.

School District spokesmen, Eric Exline, stated that a plan is already in place to correct the issue, including providing water coolers to all staff and students at the affected schools, until the water can be fixed.

The water fixtures will be replaced between this point and the next school year.

Custodians at these schools will also run the water at every fixture in the morning and the afternoon to flush the system.

Testing of the other schools will also continue.