Elevated lead levels found in water at Klager Elementary and Jr./Sr. High School

Lead above the accepted levels was found in 28 of the water samples taken from fountains and faucets at Klager Elementary School and Manchester Jr./Sr. High School.

In October, the Village of Manchester alerted residents that per the State’s request that municipalities test water samples from a percentage of homes, seven of nineteen tested in the Village of Manchester had actionable levels. With this news, Manchester Community Schools shut off all of the fountains in their three school buildings (all located within the village), began providing free bottled water to students and staff, and got on a waitlist to have the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) come in and test their drinking water. That testing was completed on December 20 and the school received the results last week.

The bad news is that 28 water fountains/faucets had water samples with elevated lead levels. Superintendent Brad Bezeau reports that Manchester Jr./Sr. High School has six impacted locations, and Luther C. Klager Elementary has 22 impacted locations. Riverside Intermediate did not have any. At these impacted locations, the water has been shut-off at the base, “Do Not Use This Water” signs have been posted, and bottled water will be used.

During the testing, two tests were conducted. The first test was with sitting water, and the second test was conducted after after allowing the water to run for thirty seconds. The good news is that almost all of the locations reached the acceptable level of lead or showed no lead present after the second test. Bezeau explained that indicates that the fixtures themselves are the source of the lead and that they will begin replacing these fixtures immediately. Meanwhile they are working with MDHHS to obtain "Point of Use" filters for their fountains in high need areas.

Bezeau stated, “I met with the EGLE, the Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services [the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 11] to make sure that the Manchester Community Schools are taking all of the required steps when elevated lead levels are discovered in any building's water. I also worked with Village Manager Jeff Wallace to make sure that I have all of the information that I need.”

The Washtenaw County Health Department came out at the end of October and held a blood lead testing clinic at Klager Elementary at which 20 children and eight adults were tested. Only one test revealed elevated blood lead levels, so did not indicate widespread elevated blood lead levels in Manchester’s children. However, in light of the school’s new lead test results, Bezeau indicated in a letter that was sent to families, that the school was coordinating with the Washtenaw County Health Department to come out and do a second blood lead testing clinic in the near future.

For more information about lead, visit: https://www.washtenaw.org/1811/Lead and https://www.michigan.gov/mileadsafe.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.