Water testing in our schools
Legislation and Regulation
Chapter 296 of the Laws of 2016 enacted amendments to NYS Public Health Law requiring all school districts to test all potable water outlets for lead contamination, to remediate contamination where found, and to notify parents of children and the public of test results. On September 6, 2016, the New York State Department of Health issued regulations on water testing and remediation. On May 9, 2018, the Lead Testing in School Drinking Water final regulation was published. The next round of testing (since 2016) was to be performed in 2020 and then every 5 years thereafter or at an earlier time as determined by the Commissioner of Health.
Under the testing plan, every potable outlet used for drinking water or food preparation must be tested, utilizing the "first-draw" method, whereby water samples are taken from a cold-water outlet where the water has been motionless in the pipes for a period of 8-18 hours.
Once results are reported by the testing lab, they will be posted on our website, as well as an outline of prescribed steps for remediation, if necessary. Please be assured that the health and well-being of our students and staff is our highest priority.
Here are some online resources to learn more about lead in drinking water and its potential impact:
