Preemptive Lead Testing Begins in Florida Keys Schools

Preemptive Lead Testing Begins in Florida Keys Schools

Florida Keys – September 9, 2016 – The FKAA and the Monroe County School District have begun a joint initiative to test water fixtures in the Monroe County School System. The program was initiated over the summer and was implemented as a proactive measure to ensure the safety of the students.

Although lead is not present in the water supply that comes from any of the FKAA’s water treatment plants, exposure to lead may occur under specific conditions when certain plumbing materials are in use, and testing at the tap is the only way to measure lead levels at a specific location.

To date results have been received for a total of 56 samples at 13 school locations. Of those 56 samples, one sample, a water fountain at Stanley Switlik Elementary School in Marathon, came in just over the lead action level. The lead action level is 0.0015 mg/l, and the result for this fixture was 0.00168 mg/l.

The water fixture was taken off line immediately. Both the Monroe County School District and the FKAA will be taking additional steps to pinpoint the source of lead, either from the fountain or from the line that feeds the fountain.

The protocol for lead testing requires that samples be taken after the water has been allowed to sit in the pipes for a minimum of six hours. This allows for any potential leaching to be identified in the water sample results. By completing the tests under these conditions, it is not unusual to find higher results than testing during normal business hours when there is more water demand flowing thru the pipes/fixtures.

Should there be questions, please contact the Monroe County School District at (305) 293-1400.

For more information on lead go to www.fkaa.com under the Water Quality section.

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