Evanston-Skokie Community Consolidated School District 65 issued the following announcement on Sept. 24.
Dear District 65 Community
In 2017, testing was completed in District 65 elementary and magnet schools for lead contamination in drinking water sources, in accordance with regulations set forth by the Illinois Department of Public Health. This testing identified a number of fixtures in our schools where levels were higher than the recommended amount of 5 parts per billion. These sources were immediately taken out of use. We implemented subsequent remediation efforts this summer that included the installation and proper maintenance of point-of-use filters certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) for lead removal on sinks that tested above the recommended level.
Further testing on these sinks was completed in August by an independent firm, Environmental Monitoring and Technologies Incorporated. We are pleased to report that samples taken from all impacted fixtures in all elementary and magnet schools are now within state required guidelines. Results were received in early September and detailed reports are included at the links below. While not required by state law, our district conducted proactive testing in all three middle schools. We are currently working on remediation efforts in these buildings and will conduct retesting in the near future.
Nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of students and staff across District 65. Routine maintenance, including the annual replacement of filters, will be handled by our Buildings and Grounds Department. We are appreciative of the continued support and guidance provided by the City of Evanston Health Department and the diligence of our D65 Buildings and Grounds team in bringing impacted water sources back online.
Thank you for your continued understanding.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Paul Goren
Superintendent of Schools
Lead Testing Results Master Summary
Original source can be found here.
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