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Lead and Copper Program

A Faucet letting out water

All fixtures in the DYRSD school district tested and retested 10/23/16-03/10/17 - fixtures that tested above levels have been marked as  handwashing only. Fixtures that were in disrepair have been repaired.

Data has been entered on state reporting tool.

Required Checklists all sent 3/2017

Get the Lead out  Return-to-School Tips for Schools and Childcares Regarding Lead and Copper in Water

Many facilities will shut down for the week or will operate under reduced schedules, resulting in no or very limited water use.  When water is stagnant in building plumbing for long periods, if there is lead and copper in the plumbing materials, they may leach into  the water.  MassDEP’s Lead and Copper Contamination Control Act (LCCA) Program in coordination with the EPA’s 3Ts program guidance on lead in school drinking water recommend the following:

·        All schools and child care facilities should implement a program to flush of all lines and fixtures after water has been stagnant for prolonged periods of time and before people use water from the facility. Flushing should ensure that water used within the school is fresh from the distribution main and not from stagnant areas within the facility plumbing.

·        Information on flushing programs is available in EPA’s 3Ts Flushing Best Practices found at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-09/documents/flushing_best_practices_factsheet_508.pdf

To develop and/or maintain your own lead and copper sampling and analysis program , your facility’s sampling plan should follow the protocol developed by MassDEP’s LCCA Program available at http://leadandcoppercontrolact.donahue-institute.org/LCCA_Framework_4.26.18/story_html5.html or see Steps to Create and Implement a Sampling Program at: https://www.mass.gov/guides/sampling-for-lead-and-copper-at-schools-and-childcare-facilities#steps-to-create-and-implement-a-sampling-program.

·          To initiate sampling of the fixtures identified on your sampling plan, follow the sampling protocol found in the Collecting Samples from Faucets and Fountains found at: https://www.mass.gov/guides/sampling-for-lead-and-copper-at-schools-and-childcare-facilities#collecting-samples-from-faucets-and-fountains. Protocols for taking samples from special fixtures such as ice machines can also be found on this site.

Another important tip to remember is to always use water from the cold water tap for food and hot beverage preparation, in addition to drinking, as hot water increases the leaching of lead and copper into water from building plumbing materials.

If you need assistance in implementing an LCCA Program at your facility please contact MassDEP’s LCCA Program at 617-292-5770 or at program.director-dwp@mass.gov.