More than 900 Indiana public schools have had their water fixtures tested for lead levels under a state-funded program.
The Indiana Finance Authority says 57,000 water samples were collected from 915 school buildings to identify fixtures with lead levels exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency’s action level of 15 parts per billion.
Program Manager Erica Walker says testing completed in May showed about 60 percent of the participating schools had at least one fixture with lead levels above that mark.
The Evansville Courier & Press reports officials stressed that level isn’t a measure of health effects, but a sign to repair water fixtures to reduce lead concentrations.
Exposure to even low levels of lead can damage a child’s developing brain, affecting their IQ, ability to pay attention and academic achievement.
