The health and safety of our students and staff are our highest priorities. In accordance with New York State Public Health Law and NYSDOH regulations (10 NYCRR Subpart 67-4), the Elmira Heights Central School District conducts regular testing of all potable water outlets—any faucet or fountain used for drinking or cooking—to monitor for lead levels.

Understanding the Testing Process

Testing is performed on a triennial (every three years) schedule. We use "first-draw" samples, which means the water is collected from a cold-water outlet that has not been used for at least 8 to 18 hours. This method ensures we capture the most conservative estimate of lead levels at each individual fixture.

Current Action Levels & Remediation

Effective December 2022, the New York State "action level" for lead in school drinking water was reduced from 15 parts per billion (ppb) to 5 parts per billion (ppb).

• Results ≤ 5 ppb: No further action or remediation is required until the next compliance cycle.

• Results > 5 ppb: Any outlet exceeding this level is immediately taken out of service. We then implement a remediation plan, which may include replacing the fixture, installing a lead-filtering system, or permanently designating the outlet as "for handwashing only".

Accessing the Results

Transparency is key to our safety program. Below, you will find the complete numeric results and original laboratory reports for each of our school buildings.

For information about lead in school drinking water, go to:

https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/water/drinking/lead/lead_testing_of_school_drinking_water.htm
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/facplan/LeadTestinginSchoolDrinkingWater.html

For information about NYS DOH Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, go to:

http://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/lead/

For more information on lead testing and ways to reduce your child’s risk of exposure to lead, see “What Your Child’s Blood Lead Test Means”:

http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2526/ (English)

https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/lead/education_materials/index.htm (available in ten languages)