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Board approves emergency procurement to remediate lead in several school water fixtures
Summary
Following Department of Health testing, the board approved an emergency procurement to replace and re-route fixtures and piping at parts of the high/middle school after several drinking fountains and a produce sprayer tested above the current lead threshold; staff said state grant funding is being pursued and capital levy capacity will cover remaining costs.
The South Whidbey School Board approved an emergency procurement at its June 23 meeting to fix elevated lead readings the district reported after Department of Health testing.
"In April the state came out and tested water fixtures in the district," Mr. Field said. He described receiving test results on May 28 showing higher-than-allowable lead content in some fixtures; the district immediately shut off access to affected drinking fountains and fixtures and drafted required parent and community notifications. Facilities director Jeff Lawson (identified in the meeting as director of facilities) joined staff planning and confirmed affected fixtures were concentrated in the older (1980) portion of the building.
Mr. Field explained the immediate technical plan: tap potable supply from the 1995 portion of the building, plumb it to the affected 1980-area fountains, and abandon the older lines in place where appropriate. He said four drinking fountains and one kitchen/produce sprayer used in food service were among the potable fixtures of concern and that the district is upgrading several fountains to filtered bottle-fillers while replacing or rerouting piping to PEX where feasible.
On funding, Mr. Field said the district is applying to a state grant program to remove lead from drinking water and that, pending grant dollars, the district has capital-levy capacity to pay for the work. He said final quotes are being prepared to itemize fixture replacement costs, linear feet of piping, and installation labor to support a grant application; exact district cost and grant award amounts were not yet finalized at the meeting.
The board voted to declare an emergency and authorize direct procurement (using a plumbing subcontractor already on-site as part of current school construction work) so the work can proceed promptly and be completed before the start of school. Trustees noted the DOH had deemed the situation an emergency and that staff had shut sources off immediately upon receiving results.
Staff told the board they expect to provide a grant/cost update at a future meeting once final pricing and award amounts are known.
