Two BPS Staffers On Leave Over Testing for Lead-Contaminated Water Fountains

Boston, MA - Worries over lead-tainted water in Boston Public Schools continued Thursday on news that fountains at multiple schools were made available before testing was complete, potentially exposing students to contaminated water.

Nine of the 44 BPS schools tested so far have been found to have higher-than-recommended lead levels in public drinking fountains. School officials have taken steps to block access to those fountains and fix the problems, but staff at four lead-tainted locations mistakenly made fountains available before the testing wrapped up.

The mistake came down to a miscommunication between the schools' facilities department and a third-party contractor doing the testing, BPS said in a letter to parents. A district spokesman told multiple news outlets Thursday that two unnamed employees have been put on leave as a result.

The schools with elevated lead levels where students may have accessed fountains are Another Course to College, Curley K-8, Lee K-8, and Mather Elementary, the Boston Globe reports.

BPS is offering information and updates on water safety efforts on its website here.

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends drinking water with lead concentrations of no more than 15 parts per billion. Particularly for children, lead in drinking water is a serious concern. Exposure to unsafe levels has been tied to behavioral issues and lower IQs. The issue gained heightened attention this past year, following revelations in Flint, Mich.

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