Testing at 327 schools, conducted before summer recess, revealed lead levels above the federal guideline of 15 parts per billion in at least one test sample in more than one-third of the schools, according to Jason Kierna, chief facilities officer for CPS.
(U.S. military or Department of Defense phoo)

Chicago Public Schools will test 200 school buildings for lead in the water beginning next week.

This will be the second round of testing, after the school system already checked for lead at all schools with preschool programs, kitchens, and buildings built before 1986.

Testing at those first 327 schools, conducted before summer recess, revealed lead levels above the federal guideline of 15 parts per billion in at least one test sample in more than one-third of the schools, according to Jason Kierna, chief facilities officer for CPS.

“We identified 327 schools where we wanted samples taken before summer break,” Kierna said last week before the Chicago City Council’s Education Committee, noting that those schools were identified as the most at risk.

Medical experts contend that the younger the child the more that lead can affect him or her due to the brain still developing. The World Health Organization says that lead can have profound and permanent adverse health effects on children under age 6, particularly affecting the development of the brain and nervous system. Lead, the agency contends, also causes long-term harm in adults, including increased risk of high blood pressure and kidney damage.

There were 113 schools where at least one sample tested above the federal guideline, Kierna said. He said that five samples were taken at every water-emitting device at targeted schools.

He said 1.2 percent of all samples taken at the targeted schools came back with lead levels above U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.

“There are 132 (water) devices that have been brought back on service due to remediation” so that they no longer present a risk to students, Kierna said.

He said that 71 percent of all devices deemed to be emitting water with lead particles above federal guidelines have been fixed. The other repair projects are in the works, he said.

Kierna said testing will begin Sept. 13 at the remaining 200 schools in the district. He said those schools are believed to present lower risks because of being high schools, not having kitchens, or being built after 1986.

Julie Morita, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, said lead paint is much more of a risk factor than is lead in drinking water. The elimination of lead-based paints has helped turn the trend around, she said.

“We have made dramatic progress is reducing lead exposure due to paint,” Morita said.

Kierna said it is not easy to pinpoint where children ingest lead outside of the home, noting that there is lead in soil – and even the air.

“Every child leaves their home, but (finding the source of lead) is very inexact after that,” Kierna said. “People want to point to the lunchroom because they have lunch at school, but there are other issues.”

Barrett Murphy, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Water Management, said that the city’s water supply is free of lead when it leaves the treatment plant. However, lead can be found in some interior plumbing fixtures and materials, he pointed out. Lead in tap water is often generated by corrosion of those fixtures and materials, Murphy said.

He said test kits are provided free of charge to any Chicago families who want their child tested for lead.

Murphy said the Water Management Department will pick the kit up at a resident’s home and then send the test sample out to a lab.

“We’ve tested about 4,000 kids,” Murphy said of the kits, which cost the city about $25 each. “We haven’t gotten back the results yet for about 1,000 of the tests.”

Resident George Blakemore said during the meeting that he was surprised to hear that the Department of Health could not share information about students with elevated lead levels with CPS officials due to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act privacy regulations.

“I am appalled to hear that the Health Department cannot share information with the Chicago Public Schools,” Blakemore said. “… I am also appalled to hear that the Water Department only has 10 inspectors. You are playing with the minds of young people.”

Earlier in the meeting, Murphy said there there are 10 inspectors doing lead testing.

Individuals interested in checking the lead levels at their local school can go to http://cps.edu/Pages/LeadTesting.aspx

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