WHAT WE NEED TO ASK ABOUT THE LEAD FOUND IN SCHOOL DRINKING WATER

The revelation Monday that lead was found in drinking water sources at five district schools, and Underhill Field's concession area, raised several questions for local parents about what the findings mean and how they will be handled.

The district informed parents via email Monday that nine water sources had been found to have lead above acceptable limits. See that information HERE.

This comes just a year after testing found just one location, a water fountain at Clinton School, had dangerous levels.

Such a discrepancy sparked questions about why there was a higher number found only one year later, and what the district plans to do about it beyond removing the tainted water sources.

Elyse Pivnick, director of environmental health for Isles Inc. -- a Trenton-based firm that conducts lead poison prevention -- said such a change in one year is "unusual."

She said the district needs to state if the testing protocol was changed, and how? Also if the same firm did the testing and if the time of day or other factors were different. 

"You want to ask if anything has changed in terms of how they tested?" she said. "Did they flush the water the first time? What time did they do the tests? It seems like the testing protocol or fixtures were changed might be the implication here."

Asked for more specifics on the testing procedures and any plan to test children for lead, School Board President Elizabeth Baker said via email: "more information about the testing and methods will be shared with the community as quickly as possible."

District Spokeswoman Suzanne Turner declined to comment on why the levels changed so much in one year, saying further investigation is needed. Asked if the district plans to test students for lead, she said via email: "this is one of the issues that is being discussed with health officials in the morning."