Water Testing Results

Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, the State of Illinois requires all public and private school buildings constructed before 1987, and occupied by more than 10 students in grades preschool through fifth grade, to test all sources of drinking water for lead .

 

Three buildings in our District meet this requirement:

 

Forest Ridge School District 142 is diligent about ensuring our facilities are safe and healthy for our students and community, and found this new requirement to be a positive safeguard. Due to our consistent proactive efforts, we are happy to report that out of 52 individual sources of water, across these three buildings, District 142 had minimal issues.

In compliance with the law, we recently tested Foster, Ridge, and Kerkstra Schools. The water testing was conducted by an independent laboratory - TEM Environmental, Inc., Glen Ellyn, IL. Per the law and EPA guidelines, ifa water source has a lead rating of 15ppb (parts per billion) or over, the water source needs to be remediated or terminated . If a water source has a lead rating of over 5ppb, but under 15, the water source does not have to be remedied; however, parents and staff must be notified of the rating. The following is a synopsis of our testing processes, results, and actions planned.

 

PROCESSES
Water testing followed protocol recommended by Illinois Department of Public Health and The Lead in Drinking Water Testing Bill. All water sources had two samples collected. The first collection at each source is a "First Draw" sample. Water collection occurred in First Draw samples after sources were unused for at least eight (8) hours. The second collection ("Second Draw") at that source was collected after 30 seconds of flushing. The two (2) samples (Draws) are intended to help identify if any concentrations are originating from the fixture or the potable water piping leading to the fixture.