Hubbardston Board of Health flags elevated manganese in elementary school water tests
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Summary
Board members reviewed water-testing results for Hubbardston Center School showing manganese above the referenced threshold and agreed to request laboratory reference ranges and notify facilities management to check filtration systems.
Board members at the Town of Hubbardston Board of Health meeting on Feb. 10 reviewed recent lab results from Hubbardston Center School that indicated manganese readings above the expected cutoff. Speaker 1 said the report shows the school’s raw (pre-treatment) water value exceeded the usual 'less than 1' threshold and was recorded in the reports as approximately '1.1 or 1.31.'
What the board will do: Members asked staff to obtain the laboratory’s reference ranges and a certificate of analysis to allow comparison and interpretation of the results. Speaker 3 suggested sending formal correspondence to the school’s facilities manager to check filtration and water-softening systems; Speaker 3 named 'Lane Karen' (secretary) and a facilities manager (first name Kevin; last name not given) as contacts at the school.
Wastewater and Title 5 context: The board also reviewed Title 5 and wastewater test results for other properties (including a Ragged Hill property and the Hubbardston Elderly Housing wastewater sample). Several members said wastewater certificates lacked comparison ranges that would allow the board to determine whether measured results fell within acceptable limits; they postponed approval of the wastewater certificate until the lab provides parameter reference ranges.
Quantities and uncertainty: The transcript reports the school manganese value as '1.1 or 1.31' and indicates the expected limit is 'less than 1' but does not record measurement units or the laboratory’s reference ranges. The board explicitly requested the ranges, and members said they would compare this month’s report with previous months before deciding on formal notification or enforcement.
Next steps and public-health note: The Board of Health assigned staff to gather last month’s data, request the lab’s reference chart or certificate of analysis, and prepare an email or letter to school facilities if filtration checks are warranted. No enforcement action or formal advisory to the public was issued at the meeting.
