After numerous issues across the country, the New Jersey State Board of Education recently passed emergency regulations to test the drinking water from faucets and fountains for lead.
The State is requiring every school district to have its water tested and analyzed within 365 days of the effective date of these rules, in addition to publicly posting the results at the school facility and on the district’s website. Schools will be required to repeat the procedure at least every six years following the initial testing to assess the quality of the drinking water in the building and to ensure the health and safety of children and staff at the facility. The regulations allow districts to apply for reimbursement for the costs of any water testing and analysis conducted after the effective date of these rules.
The potential exposure from lead can leach from plumbing material and fixtures into the water moving through the distribution system. The intermittent water use patterns in schools may cause elevated lead concentrations, due to prolonged water contact with plumbing.
Additional information can be found on the NJDEP website. For more information about testing drinking water in schools for lead, please contact Elizabeth Bouvier, LAN’s Director of Regulatory Compliance at 201-447-6400, or visit our regulatory compliance services page.
