Copper, Lead Found in Unsafe Amounts at Oak Park and River Forest Schools

After struggling with high levels of copper and lead in their water systems this August, Oak Park and River Forest schools are promising all their water sources are or will soon be safe to drink from, the Pioneer Press reported.

According to an Oak Park website article, the first round of tests were done in early August, before school began. District 90 schools in River Forest partnered with Westmont-based firm JMS Environmental Associates for testing and, upon getting results back Aug. 15, found that 33 water fixtures across its schools retained copper and lead levels above the Environmental Protection Agency’s standards.

Those fixtures at Roosevelt, Lincoln and Willard schools were flushed out and aerated before a second test was performed, officials reported. Ten water sources still had unacceptable levels of copper and lead after this test.

"When the lead tests results came in and the issues were limited to the 10 water sources, the district took the sources out of service and immediately contracted with a local plumbing contractor to begin the initial abatement process," District 90 Director of Finance and Facilities Anthony Cozzi told the Pioneer Press. "That work has been completed. The water sources continue to be shut down."

Oak Park’s District 97 contracted First Environmental Laboratories, which found enough poor water at Beye, Hatch, Irving, Longfellow and Whittier schools to warrant further testing. After a second round, six fixtures across the schools still contained higher levels of lead and copper than the EPA’s standard.

Oak Park’s second round of copper and lead testing was also designed to determine whether the fixture or the water source was to blame for the poor quality of water, and initial water sources came out looking clean.

It was due to the old age of both the buildings and fixtures, the lab company reported, that copper and lead were making their way into the systems.

The EPA makes it clear on their website that while there are standards for lead and copper in potable drinking water, there is no known safe level of lead in a child’s blood. While drinking contaminated water is dangerous for anyone, it can be especially harmful to a child’s immune system and overall health.

Washing your hands, showering or otherwise coming into contact with contaminated water shouldn't be dangerous, the EPA says, because lead doesn't have the ability to absorb into skin. It's consuming the water that's so harmful.

Contaminated Oak Park fixtures were taken out of service and repaired after testing, District 97 Spokesperson Chris Jascula told the Press. They were recently returned to use.

In River Forest, another round of testing was completed Oct. 6, according to Cozzi, though the results of those tests are still unknown.

Cozzi said that children’s families will be contacted with updates on the water system, including when drinking water is deemed safe by the EPA’s standards and water fountains and other fixtures will be returned to use.

"The fixtures will not be returned to service until the results show that they are below acceptable levels," Cozzi said.

To learn more about lead in drinking water and the EPA’s standards for clean water, click here.

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