Safe drinking water is important for a child’s physical and cognitive development. Maintaining water quality in schools is challenging because it differs significantly from the regulated standards of municipal sources or households. Contaminants often enter the supply after it reaches the school building, requiring a focus on the internal plumbing system. Understanding the potential risks and the current oversight framework helps parents ensure their children have access to clean water throughout the school day.
The Most Common Water Contaminants in Schools
The primary health concern in school drinking water systems is the presence of heavy metals, particularly lead and copper. Lead is a neurotoxin that poses a risk to young, developing bodies, as children absorb it at a much higher rate than adults. Even low-level exposure is associated with reduced attention spans, lower IQ scores, and behavioral issues, with effects that are generally irreversible.
Copper, another common metal found in school water, can leach from plumbing and cause health issues. High concentrations of copper can lead to gastrointestinal distress, including vomiting and diarrhea. Microbial pathogens also pose a threat, such as Legionella bacteria growing in stagnant water within the pipes. When inhaled through water vapor, this bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a serious form of pneumonia, especially after long school closures.
Disinfection byproducts, which are created when chlorine-based disinfectants react with organic matter in the water, are another category of concern. These compounds can form in the water as it travels through the distribution system and can have long-term health implications. Testing must go beyond the main municipal supply line and examine the water where children actually drink it.
Infrastructure and Pathways for Water Contamination
Water contamination within a school building almost always originates from the internal plumbing and fixtures, not the municipal supply itself. Many older school buildings were constructed using materials that contained lead, such as lead solder that was commonly used to join copper pipes until it was banned in 1986. Aging water fountains, faucets, and brass fittings can also contain enough lead to leach into the drinking water over time.
The intermittent use of water in schools creates a unique vulnerability, leading to periods of water stagnation. During breaks, water sits motionless in the pipes, and this extended contact time allows metals like lead and copper to dissolve more readily into the water. Stagnant water also promotes the growth of biofilms, which are complex communities of microorganisms that can harbor harmful bacteria like Legionella. When schools reopen, a sudden rush of water can dislodge these contaminants, resulting in elevated levels at the tap.
Regulatory Requirements for School Water Quality Testing
The federal framework for drinking water safety is the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which includes the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR). The application of these rules depends on whether the school operates its own water source, classifying it as a non-transient, non-community water system, or if it is a customer of a larger municipal water provider. Schools operating their own systems are directly regulated by the LCR and are required to test their water and take corrective actions if lead levels are too high.
For the majority of schools supplied by a municipal system, the federal government does not mandate testing of the school’s internal plumbing. Under the LCR, the federal action level for lead is 15 parts per billion (ppb), which is the concentration that triggers required actions such as corrosion control or public education. This level applies to the water system as a whole, not every single tap in a school building.
The responsibility for testing internal school plumbing falls to the state or local level, leading to a patchwork of regulations. Some states have adopted stricter requirements, mandating that all drinking water outlets be tested and setting lower action levels than the federal standard. Parents must understand that exceeding the 15 ppb action level triggers a series of required steps to address the contamination, rather than signaling a violation of the law.
Actions Parents and Schools Can Take
Schools can immediately reduce contamination risk by implementing daily flushing of all drinking water outlets. Running taps and fountains each morning clears out stagnant water, significantly reducing the concentration of leached metals and bacteria. Replacing older, high-risk fixtures like brass faucets and lead-soldered connections is the most effective long-term solution. Installing certified point-of-use water filters on drinking fountains and kitchen sinks can also provide a reliable barrier against contaminants at the source.
Parents have a significant role in advocating for and monitoring water quality at their children’s school. They should proactively request the latest water testing results, which schools are often required to make publicly available. If testing results show elevated contaminant levels, parents can advocate for the school to immediately shut off affected taps and provide alternative safe drinking water, such as filtered water stations. Open communication with administrators about water safety plans helps ensure student health remains a priority.