Alaina Goldberg, Managing Editor; Rio Scarcelli, News Editor; Jake Weinstein, Photography Manager; Amanda Graves, Staff Writer

     The importance of having safe water to drink in schools is key to the health of students everywhere. Without frequent tests of the water, there is the possibility of the water being tainted with lead or other substances.

    Fortunately for students of Penn-Trafford, safe water does not appear to be an issue. However, for many schools around the state it is a more serious concern.

  According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a statewide advocacy group called PennEnvironment has given Pennsylvania a failing grade for lead in school drinking water as of March 26, 2019.

   PennEnvironment also said Pennsylvania schools have not been aggressive enough in replacing lead pipes, plumbing or fixtures in schools, according to CBS. Some of the problems stem from old pipes that allow the water to pick up traces of harmful substances, like lead, which can be a problem for the health of those who use the fountains.

    Under Act 39 of the PA Department of Education, schools may, but are not required to, test lead levels annually in the drinking water of any facility where children attend school. If a school chooses not to test its water lead levels, the school must discuss any issues at a school board meeting or otherwise.

    The proposed bill mentioned in the Post-Gazette article would require annual testing of water used for drinking and cooking in schools. The results also would have to be disclosed to parents, and concentration could not be any more than five parts per billion.

    According to the Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 8,000 schools and child care facilities maintain their own supply of water and are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

    However, there are approximately 98,000 schools that are not regulated by the SDWA. These unregulated schools could be forgoing quality testing for their water supplies, which is dangerous for health reasons.     

    Penn-Trafford Head of Maintenance Jim Bracco said that the first district-wide water testing was performed in 2017.

    Bracco said all kitchen faucets, water fountains and nurses areas along with some classrooms were tested.

    “We were compliant in all areas and our test results were also under the thresholds set by the state,” Bracco said.

   The EPA recommends testing levels of water and the lead amounts by taking samples from drinking fountains and sinks. However, water must be sitting for eight to 18 hours in order to get an accurate test. It should be in 250 mL amounts and taken before anyone uses the water. It can then be tested in a DEP-accredited lab.     

    Bracco added that the testing was done through InterTec PSI, an engineering consultant in Green Tree, PA.  

    P-T also received a grant that is helping them to pay for any water testing in the district.

    “We applied for and received a grant from the Women from a Healthy Environment. This grant was for $30,000,” Bracco said. “The money will also help with any remediation needed to correct the water.”

    According to a report released with the article, the Allegheny County Health Department said that there is no safe level of lead for children to be exposed to.

    The EPA’s current action lead level is 15 parts per billion. Health effects from lead include damage to the brain, kidneys and production of red blood cells. It mainly affects infants, young children and mothers who are pregnant. It can also negatively impact adults who already have health issues.

    Lead can come from air, soil gas, paint chips or dust, according to the PA Department of Education.

    Damage could not only be done to people, but it can also be harmful to the environment.

  Science teacher Dave Babik currently teaches biology and has also taught environmental studies at PTHS.

    He said, “Lead can accumulate in the body over time and is very hard to expel in people, which can lead to health problems.”

    Lead can contribute to major health concerns, especially in the growing bodies of children and infants. According to the EPA, infants that have diets consisting of baby formula could be exposed to lead by the addition of tap water used in the making of the formula.

    The same effects can happen in aquatic organisms if there is a high enough level of lead in the lakes they reside in. It especially can cause problems for birds of prey, or even people that eat fish, according to Babik.         

    If there are possible amounts of lead in a water source, the best way to be safe is to let it run before using it and only use cold water when possible, according to the PA Department of Education. Questions can be emailed to the following link: RA-EDLeadTesting@pa.gov.