By: Chris Fazzari, News Editor
To comply with the new Maryland law requiring all Maryland schools to be tested for the presence of lead, HCPSS has begun testing all Howard County schools. All 77 schools will be tested by 2020.
The first round of testing was completed at Clarksville, St. John’s Lane, Talbott Springs, Jeffers Hill, and Pointers Run Elementary schools, Oakland Mills, Patapsco, and Clarksville Middle Schools, and Oakland Mills High School.
Chris Madden, the indoor environmental quality manager for the school system, told the Baltimore Sun that the last time all water fountains in the system were tested was in 1989. SInce 1989, thirty new school buildings have opened, which were all tested when they were built.
In total 28 fixtures across 9 of the 15 schools were found to have contained lead. Maryland law declares that a fixture must be turned off if the lead exceeds 20 parts per billion. Federal EPA regulations indicate that water is not safe if the lead content exceeds 15 parts per billion.
One sink fixture at Clarksville Elementary School was over the safe limit. Two teacher office sinks at Clarksville Middle were at unsafe levels. While one sink at Pointers Run was above the safe limit but the sink was instantly off and according to school data “turning on [the] valve to collect a sample may have influenced results”
Drinking water containing high amounts of lead is incredibly dangerous and damaging to one’s health. According to the World Health Organization, “ Lead can affect children’s brain development resulting in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioral changes such as reduced attention span and increased antisocial behavior, and reduced educational attainment.”
Freshman Sam Rennich reacted by saying, “I am absolutely worried. School is supposed to be a safe environment. How can students feel safe if even the water they drink is contaminated.”
The worry is shared as senior Melissa Anderson reacted that “There isn’t a word strong enough to express how unsettling that is.”
This is a very worrying development. All are greatly awaiting the test results from River Hill. Junior Emily Cho stated that “I’m mad because… we have to rely on schools for giving us clean water during the day.”