Parents implored D.C. lawmakers Wednesday to ensure that lead levels in the water at public and charter schools are safe and that the city government is more transparent after the discovery of dangerous levels at three schools where parents and teachers weren’t notified.
“Communication has been poor. If this is the way the lead issue is handled, what else is lurking?” said Todd Cochran, whose child attends Capitol Hill Montessori School.
He voiced concern at a joint hearing of the D.C. Council’s Education and Transportation and Environment committees — two months after parents with children at Capitol Hill Montessori, Miner Elementary and Payne Elementary found out the city had failed to notify parents about high lead levels in 2015.
Last year, the D.C. Department of General Services tested about 3,400 sources of water and found that 17 exceeded city and federal limits of 15 parts per billion (ppb) for lead.
In February, the city’s Water and Sewer Authority (WASA) reported lead levels of 4 ppb for all drinking water in the District, calling it a “historic low.”
Parents at the three schools found out after digging on their own that the Department of General Services posted the lead levels online but never relayed that information to teachers or parents. Instead, the agency shut off that particular water supply.
“We’re sending 3-year-olds to school now, which is great, but they’re even more at risk at such a young age,” said Keya Chatterjee, another parent from Capitol Hill Montessori. “We need to look into any place we’re sending children.”
Lead poisoning can damage the kidneys, the nervous system and the digestive system, causing a variety of ailments from stomach pain and nausea to muscle weakness, lethargy and memory loss. It also can cause learning disabilities and behavioral problems in children.
Some witnesses called for eliminating lead altogether rather than just testing to make sure levels are low enough to be considered safe.
“Any amount of lead in a child’s bloodstream is harmful,” Dr. Lenore Jarvis, a D.C. pediatrician, told the committee.
She warned that constant exposure to low levels of lead can wreak long-term effects on children without producing any apparent symptoms.
“It’s time that we err on the conservative side and eliminate any and all lead,” Dr. Jarvis said.
Council member Mary Cheh, who heads the Transportation and Environment Committee, said the city failed parents and children on several levels.
“I’m not confident testing is accurate, reliable or frequent enough. When lead is found, we’re not confident that remediation is swift,” said Ms. Cheh, Ward 3 Democrat. “And I’m not confident about adequate public information when lead is found in schools.”
She suggested an annual environmental report card for every public school that measures all adverse environmental factors on children, including lead levels.
Lead levels in city drinking water spiked in 2004, rising to 1,250 ppb in some areas. A congressional investigation was launched, and WASA eventually was forced to replace lead pipes serving nearly 18,000 homes in the District.
By comparison, the highest levels in Flint, Michigan, were 13,200 ppb. WASA tests water in at least 100 District homes every six months, as required by federal regulations.
On Tuesday, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced several initiatives to ensure safe lead levels at schools. The Department of General Services will use an even stricter threshold of 1 ppb for drinking water sources at schools, parks and recreation centers. Currently, the city takes remedial action on lead levels at or above 15 ppb.
“Lead exposure in children is preventable, and we will be working diligently to set policy at our facilities that goes far beyond EPA standards,” said Deputy City Administrator Kevin Donahue.
The new policy, which includes putting filters on all drinking water sources in public schools, libraries and rec centers, will cost the city about $2 million initially. The expected annual cost to support regular testing, maintenance and supplies for schools and recreation centers is about $1.5 million.
• Ryan M. McDermott can be reached at rmcdermott@washingtontimes.com.
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