January 23, 2023
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We are writing to inform you that Lancaster Elementary School recently completed testing for lead in drinking water. This is part of an ongoing effort related to New Hampshire’s House Bill 1421, which requires school and childcare facilities to test for lead in drinking water and to act when lead is found at levels at or above 5 parts per billion (ppb).
Lead is a toxic heavy metal with various adverse health effects if inhaled or swallowed. Lead rarely occurs naturally in New Hampshire’s drinking water sources (groundwater or surface water) and typically enters drinking water due to the wearing away of piping, faucets, fixtures and other plumbing materials.
Because lead is tasteless, odorless, and colorless in drinking water, testing is the only way to learn whether lead is present. It is important to sample each faucet or water fountain used for drinking or food prep because test results can vary between locations.
During recent testing, we collected samples from 8 drinking water outlets (e.g., drinking fountains, classroom faucets, kitchen sinks), with 2 samples testing at or above 5 ppb; action must be taken.
We have removed access to these outlets until the problem can be corrected. The table below shows a list of the tested outlets that presented elevated levels of lead, their locations, sample results, and our planned remediation.
Outlet Number | Location | Sample Result (ppb) | Planned Remediation |
21475-1 | Kitchen | 12.4 | Faucet Replacement |
21475-3 | Kitchen | 7.51 | Faucet Replacement |
All sample results and additional resources from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) can be viewed at gettheleadoutnh.org.
Sincerely,
Robert Scott, Director of Facilities