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Lead Levels Prompt Action By Eugene School District

Kids Delights

Last week, the Eugene 4-J School District announced initial testing found trace levels of lead in water fixtures in three schools and the district office. Those locations turned off drinking fountains and continue to use bottled and filtered water only. As KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert reports, the district’s summer plans include more proactive measures.

With two days left before the long break, the district is taking no chances. They have contracted with PBS Engineering and Environmental to sample the drinking and food prep water in every 4-J school and facility. District Spokeswoman Kerry Delf.

Delf: “Every school is flushing out the drinking water sources in the school every morning before they are used so no student is ever drinking dormant water that sat overnight in fixtures.

The elevated lead levels were found in water faucets at Sheldon High, Roosevelt Middle, Kennedy Middle and 4-J Education Center. Delf says they have not seen issues with lead solder in pipes but instead—individual fixtures.

Delf: “We do expect to have all the testing done and hopefully all corrective actions taken before school begins in the fall. We’ll have the answers for parents before the end of the summer.”

The state has recommended all schools and child care centers test their water for lead over the summer break.

Tiffany joined the KLCC News team in 2007. She studied journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia and worked in a variety of media including television, technical writing, photography and daily print news before moving to the Pacific Northwest.