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District to replace elementary drinking fountains and add certified lead filters after testing
Summary
Following past tests and two elevated faucet results, facilities staff proposed a 'filter-first' plan to install certified lead-reduction hydration stations at elementary schools and under-counter filters in kitchens; initial purchases targeted two elementary schools this summer and further phased installs planned.
Facilities staff briefed the board April 7 on lead-in-drinking-water testing history and proposed a districtwide ‘filter-first’ mitigation plan.
The background: administration reviewed six years of voluntary testing done since Act 39 (2018). Most tests were below 5 parts per billion (ppb). Two samples in 2021 — from Unionville Elementary and Chadds Ford Elementary — exceeded Pennsylvania’s action threshold (15 ppb) and were traced to 20-year-old faucets; the district replaced those fixtures and retested the taps to confirm the problem was resolved.
Proposed approach: facilities director recommended replacing existing bubbler-style fountains with certified lead-reduction hydration stations and installing under-counter certified lead-reduction fill stations in school kitchens. The district plans a phased rollout beginning with Unionville and Pekapoxson (Pekapopsin/UE name variants in packet) this summer, using state-contract pricing; costs for the first phase were budgeted at $39,225 and funded from the long-range facilities plan.
Maintenance and testing: staff said replacement filters are rated for about 3,000 gallons and typically require annual replacement; replacement filters were estimated at roughly $75 each. Administration told the board it will continue targeted periodic water testing to confirm filters and equipment are performing as intended.
Why it matters: district presenters noted lead is highly toxic to children and concentrations in plumbing can vary; the proposed filter-first strategy is intended to reduce risk quickly while phasing installations across buildings so in-house crews can perform summer installs.
Next steps: administration will purchase and install hydration stations at the two elementary schools this summer and phase additional installs at Chadds Ford and Hillandale the following summer, with middle and high school work planned thereafter. Testing will continue as a confirmation step. No board vote was taken April 7; the item was presented for approval in the facilities consent agenda at the upcoming meeting.
