The results of the Water Lead Testing Program approved by the Derby Board of Education in December 2021 found that 20 fixtures at Derby High School contained lead levels above the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulatory action level for drinking water of 15 ppb.
According to a news release from the district, the water supply to those fixtures was shut off while a decision is made on how to proceed and find the most effective and efficient solution. Possible solutions involve one or more of the following:
- Remove or cap the fixture permanently
- Replace or update the fixture/plumbing materials
- Install a filter to remove lead
- Install automatic flushing devices or manually flush to reduce lead
- Resample fixtures again to ensure the problem has been resolved.
The district emphasized in its release that this is not a system-wide problem and the 20 fixtures represent 4% of the total number of 533 fixtures tested at the high school. The fixtures of concern are located in the B10, A4, Q16 restroom, C7, B4, B7, A15 and A17 areas of the school.
Testing for lead in the district’s water system was done through a free program offered by the EPA and made available through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). The cost of remediating any lead pipe problems identified is the responsibility of the district.
The district expects the costs to be in the $2,500-$3,000 range and funds will come from the operations/capital repair budget, according to Burke Jones, director of operations for the district.
