Safe Water at School

Does Special School District regularly test water?
Special School District are provided with water from the Missouri American Water Company. The Missouri American Water Company regularly tests its water and publicly reports the results.

Is it common to have lead in drinking water?
Lead is rarely found in source water like groundwater or rivers. Typically, lead in water results from corrosion, or the wearing away, of lead-containing materials in the water distribution system such as pipes and faucets. Since 1986, all plumbing materials must be “lead-free.” The law currently allows plumbing materials up to 0.25 percent lead to be labeled as “lead-free.” While there are lower amounts of lead used in newer water distribution systems, corrosion still occurs. When water stands in lead pipes or plumbing systems containing lead for several hours or more, the lead may dissolve into the drinking water. In such circumstances, the first water drawn from a tap in the morning typically contains the highest traces of lead. Although rarely the sole cause of lead poisoning, lead in drinking water can significantly increase a person’s total lead exposure. The EPA estimates that drinking water can make up 20% or more of a person’s total exposure to lead. According to the EPA (www.epa.gov), children of any age are susceptible to the effects of lead, with children under the age of 6 being most at risk. While effects may vary in scope and severity, the EPA reports that lead might lead to behavior and learning problems, lower IQ, hyperactivity, slowed growth, hearing problems and anemia. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that the impact of lead exposure on children can be impacted by various factors including age, nutrition, the source of exposure, length of time of the exposure, and other underlying health conditions. Elevated levels of lead in women who are pregnant can also be harmful, possibly severely, to both babies and mothers. Your physician or healthcare provider can provide additional information regarding the effects of lead exposure and, with respect to one’s health history, whether testing for lead should be considered.

Lead is a heavy metal found naturally in the earth’s crust. Once processed and purified, lead is heavy, malleable, has been historically used in a variety of ways including in paints, gasoline, batteries, bullets, keys, and some vinyl products such as mini-blinds. Fine particles of processed or recycled lead and/or lead dust from these items can become a health hazard when they are taken into the body through inhalation (breathing) and/or ingestion (swallowing).

Health Effects of Lead

Exposure to high levels of lead can cause severe damage to the brain, blood, and kidneys.  Children under six are most at risk from lead poisoning.  Even low levels of lead exposure have been found to permanently reduce cognitive ability and cause hyperactivity in children.

• The EPA standard for acceptable lead levels in drinking water is less than 15 ppb (parts per billion).
• The Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water Act requires that school building water sources contain a lead content of less than 5 ppb.
• If all tested water sources in a building test less than 5 ppb, that building will not be required to test again for a five (5) year period.
• If a water source is identified to be producing lead levels greater than 5 ppb, annual testing will be required for that building until remediation efforts are proven successful.

The District is only responsible for testing water sources that are defined as drinking water sources or water sources utilized for food preparation. All non-applicable water sources will require signage to be installed in an effort to indicate the water is non-potable and not intended to be a source of drinking water.