Dear Parents and Guardians of Warsaw Public School,
We would like to provide you with some information about our on-going drinking water testing program for lead, and specifically the results for our school. First and foremost, we are committed to ensuring that the water in our schools is safe for students and staff.
Schools have been subject to lead testing and water flushing legislation since 2007; with updated requirements put in place as of July 1, 2017. Schools and child care centres have tested every faucet used for drinking water or preparing food for children under 18.
Since 2011, we have used a third-party expert, Cambium Inc., to conduct testing and advise us on water management board-wide. We publicly post water testing results for each of our schools on our board website at https://www.kprschools.ca/en/our-board/water-lead-and-energy-reports.aspx which includes all data on lead testing.
Between May 1 and October 31 each year, Cambium Inc. tests water fixtures in schools across our school board in accordance with Ontario Regulation 243/07. The regulation requires two samples taken during the test: a ‘standing’ sample of water that has been sitting in the pipes for at least six hours, and a ‘flushed’ sample after the tap has been allowed to run for a short period. The purpose of the standing sample is to provide results showing the potential worst case of lead in the water. The purpose of the flushed sample is to provide results showing normal use following the required flushing program.
At Warsaw Public School the fixture H2-Bottle Fill was sampled for lead as required by O.Reg.243. The sample from this fixture had an adverse result, however a re-sample exhibited results meeting the drinking water criteria and was consistent with historical results of nearby fixtures. With these results the water is safe for consumption.
Custodians at schools continue to perform water flushing based on the sample results, consistent with regulatory requirements and on recommendations from our local Medical Officer of Health. This practice will continue to ensure student and staff safety. We extend our appreciation to our custodians in performing flushing procedures to support the health and safety of everyone in our schools.
If you have any further questions, please contact me for more information.
Sincerely,
Nicole Lees
Principal Warsaw Public School