The results of water fixture tests at Benton Harbor Area Schools are in, and they show lead levels at five of 135 testing sites throughout the district exceeded federal standards. The federal action level for lead is 15 parts per billion, and a school district new release on Friday said it’s using a stricter standard of five parts per billion and replacing all water fixtures exceeding that level. That means a total of 20 fixtures are being replaced districtwide. In the meantime, they’ve been disabled. Benton Harbor Area Schools started using bottled water last month when some homes around Benton Harbor tested for elevated levels of lead. The school district news release says none of the affected fixtures were primarily used for drinking water, and therefore “it is highly unlikely any students or staff members consumed water that contained contaminants.” You can find out more at BHAS.org.
