Sample Lead in Drinking Water Letter to Students, Parents, & Staff

(Insert Date)

To the Students, Families, and Staff of (insert school/ child care facility name):

We would like to inform you about our plans to reduce potential exposure to lead in drinking water at our facility(ies). Both the Environmental Protection agency (EPA) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) as part of their healthy school efforts encourage schools and child care facilities to reduce exposure to lead from facility drinking water by taking a number of steps. These include testing drinking water for lead disseminating results to parents, students, staff and other interested parties and taking the appropriate actions to correct any actual or potential problems found.

Our school / child care facility administration has recently learned that samples from some water taps at our school/child care facility had lead levels that exceeded the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection "action level for lead in drinking water at schools and child care facilities". The administration takes these results very seriously and is moving immediately to safeguard the health of the students, faculty and staff. You should also note that these results are not uncommon and may well exist in your own home. The following information describes steps we are taking to address the issue of lead and copper in the water.

Exposure to lead is a concern because lead is a toxic metal that has a range of adverse health effects. To safeguard our students/children and other sensitive individuals (including pregnant females and nursing mothers) EPA along with the state drinking water programs (MassDEP) have developed a 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Facilities program aimed at encouraging a voluntary actions by schools and child care facilities to reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. In response, NAME OF SCHOOL(s)/FACILITY(ies) is taking decisive 3T's (Training / Testing / Telling) actions as follows:

What we are doing:

1. We are implementing a public information process to provide training that includes distribution of outreach material to all those affected including students, parents, teachers, staff and local officials.
2. We have developed a sampling plan so we can conduct testing at outlets (faucets, water fountains, etc.) where students and staff get water for drinking, beverage prep and cooking. This includes conducting follow-up water sampling and analysis at outlets that have results above MassDEP's "action level" for lead in drinking water at schools and child care facilities so that a treatment plan can be developed, approved, and implemented.
3. We are telling you, our students, parents and local officials, the actions we're taking to minimize your child's exposure to lead in drinking water.

What we will do:

1. (If Currently Applicable - Move to the section above) We will implement a flushing and water usage plan to safeguard against lead exposure from drinking water in the school(s)/child care facility(ies) at outlets that are found to be above the MassDEP "action level" for lead in drinking water at schools and child care facilities. This includes the daily flushing of water fountains and/or faucets at sinks and the limitation of water consumption to cold-water faucets for food and beverage preparation.
2. We will develop and put into place a correction treatment plan as quickly as possible following the additional testing and consultation with other local officials (water department, Board of Health, and others).
3. Through periodic reports, we will keep you informed as to the progress of our efforts. These reports will serve to let you know what has been done and what is being done to safeguard against lead exposure from drinking water at our school(s)/child care facility(ies).

A Reminder: The water system at the school is not unlike that found in area homes. Please consider having your home water tested if you are using a private well. If you are receiving water from a public water system (i.e. if you pay a water bill) you can call your local water department for information or check the Consumer Confidence Report sent out by the public water supplier annually.

Optional information can be included that announces an information display at the school on Lead in Drinking Water at Schools and Child Care Facilities and/or an announcement about a workshop to be held (in conjunction with another event (PTA Meeting / parent-teachers night, etc.) that will provide further information and will provide an opportunity for Q&A.

If you have any questions on this information please contact ________ at (___) ___-____.

Sincerely,

(Insert signature and title)

Template for Lead in Drinking Water Letter: MS Word 36 KB