Good afternoon, WCPS Families & Staff --
We are providing an additional update following the initial water testing for lead in all Washington County Public Schools’ buildings. That information was released on November 7. If you recall, on October 26, 2024, new regulations approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required water that is used in schools be tested for lead by 2028. To be ahead of that timeline, the Washington County Service Authority tested five fixtures at every school (at least two fixtures in the kitchens and two or more water fountains in various locations throughout the school).
There are three possible results from testing:
Non-detect: Practice good water habits
Less than 10 parts per billion (ppb): Consider risk mitigation such as flushing before use
Greater than 10 parts per billion (ppb): Stop using the water source and take remediation steps
The initial results released in November found that four of our schools had at least one fixture that tested less than 10 ppb (Meadowview Elementary – two fixtures, Watauga Elementary – one fixture, Glade Spring Middle School – one fixture, and Holston High School – two fixtures). One school had two fixtures that tested above 10 ppb (Greendale Elementary). As a result, we took additional precautions at those five schools immediately. Only fixtures that tested non-detect are available for cooking purposes at these schools. This is above and beyond the protocols recommended by the EPA.
We immediately discontinued the use of consumable water fixtures at the five schools (e.g. drinking fountains) the moment we received the initial testing results. As a result, we have been providing bottled water for students and staff. We also took additional steps and installed a new water cooler at all schools in our division. Those water coolers are equipped with five different filters that are designed to remove lead and other impurities.
As a further safeguard, we began the process of testing every fixture at Glade Spring Middle School and Holston High School. That testing is now complete with test results showing 36 fixtures tested non-detect at Glade Spring Middle School, 10 fixtures tested less than 10 ppb, and 13 fixtures tested above 10 ppb. A further breakdown shows that two drinking fountains – Room 302 drinking fountain and the drinking fountain at the main entrance in the gymnasium saw elevated readings.
At Holston High School, 59 fixtures tested non-detect, 14 fixtures tested less than 10 ppb, and 16 fixtures tested above 10 ppb. A further breakdown shows one drinking fountain – the girls locker room drinking fountain, saw an elevated test result.
Other next steps are to determine and troubleshoot whether the elevated testing numbers are due to the fixture itself, or if it is a result of the plumbing in the walls. Those fixtures will remain off until further notice. It is possible that sinks that are no longer used or needed will be removed from future service. We have been given clearance to use all points of contact that have returned “non-detect” results.
We continue to await test results at Watauga Elementary School and Meadowview Elementary School, which also saw elevated results. Additional testing has now been completed at Greendale Elementary School, Glade Spring Middle School, and Holston High School. Once testing is finished at Watauga and Meadowview, we will conduct more tests at the remaining 11 schools in our division.
We will continue to work with the Washington County Service Authority and the Office of Drinking Water to ensure we are taking all needed steps to keep our students and staff safe. At the same time, we are also staying in contact with the local Health Department. The new testing results for Glade Spring Middle School, Holston High School, and Greendale Elementary School, as well as additional information, which includes an FAQ, and a helpful flyer, can be found at this link on our website: https://www.wcs.k12.va.us/documents/washington-county-service-authority-information/722977
If you have any questions or concerns, we will continue to work with the agencies referenced above to share the latest information and provide the safest possible environment for our students and staff.
Thank you,
Keith Perrigan, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Washington County Public Schools
812 Thompson Dr.
Abingdon, VA 24210
276-739-3000
@WashCoSuper