Lead Found in Hunt School Drinking Water

Burlington School District

Dec 17 at 9:26 PM

December 17, 2019

Dear Parents, Guardians and our Staff:
The State of Vermont passed a new law in 2019 that requires all schools and child care providers to test their drinking water for lead. Samples of water from every tap at Hunt Middle School that is reasonably expected to be used for drinking or cooking were collected and sent to the Vermont Department of Health Laboratory for analysis.
Results for HMS:

• One or more of the taps had a lead level AT OR ABOVE the 4 parts per billion (ppb) action level.

We take our responsibility to provide a safe and healthy environment for the children and staff seriously. Any tap that tested at or above 4 ppb was immediately taken out of service for drinking or cooking. We are working on fixes to permanently lower levels of lead in the water.
Lead exposure poses a special risk to children because they absorb lead into their systems more easily than adults do. Lead can slow down growth, impair development and learning, and can cause behavior problems. While the major source of lead poisoning in Vermont children is paint, lead in plumbing pipes and fixtures can add to a person’s overall exposure. Drinking water in schools and homes may contain lead from old pipes, plumbing fixtures (such as fountains and faucets), or the solder that joins pipe sections together.
More Information

• For questions about the water testing process, or about the law and its requirements, please dial 2-1-1.
• You can view school and child care results, remediation and any follow-up testing at leadresults.vermont.gov. (NOTE: If your child’s preschool or after school program is located at a school, the results will be listed under the school’s name.) For more information visit:
  • Schools: healthvermont.gov/school-drinking-water
  • Child Care Programs: healthvermont.gov/childcare-drinking-water
• If you have questions or concerns about our facility and the actions we are taking, please contact Elizabeth Brosseau, (802) 864-8453.

To learn more about lead hazards and lead poisoning prevention, visit healthvermont.gov/lead.
If you want to test your home drinking water for lead, contact the Health Department Laboratory to order a $12 first draw lead test kit. Call 802-338-4736 or 800-660-9997 (toll free in Vermont).
Sincerely,
Burlington School District