OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – There’s a rising concern about the opportunity of poisonous lead in water Wednesday all through Oklahoma colleges and daycares because the Oklahoma Division of Environmental High quality continues a year-long program that assessments their water free of charge.
The testing is open to any public college district or licensed childcare facility within the state. The state doesn’t require the assessments be performed for colleges, regardless of low-level lead publicity being linked to studying and behavioral issues, stunted progress, low IQ and anemia. As of proper now, the division mentioned they solely have six colleges which have signed up and are on their listing. To this point, the division has solely been capable of take a look at one district totally, and so they ended up testing for elevated ranges of lead.
“I believe it is a painless course of and one which I do not suppose must be fearful about doing,” mentioned Kim Templeman, a principal at Central Oak Elementary within the Crooked Oak College District.
That remark comes from somebody who skilled the method firsthand. Templeman mentioned the testing is like leaping into the unknown, however they determined to do it anyway. The outcomes discovered 4 taps of their constructing that examined for elevated ranges of lead. Nonetheless, it was not sufficient to trigger any hurt.
“In the event you’re fearful about what it is going to flip up, then it’s essential to know anyway,” Templeman mentioned.
Whereas it wasn’t an excessive amount of of an issue for Crooked Oak, doesn’t imply it couldn’t be extra of a at the moment unknown drawback for others.
“All of us wish to shield public well being, particularly our youngsters,” mentioned Shellie Chard, the Water High quality Division Director for the Oklahoma Division of Environmental High quality
As first reported by Oklahoma Watch, the division’s program is comparatively new. It kicked into full gear in 2023. It’s set as much as take a look at any public college district and licensed childcare facility within the state.
“We work with them to develop both operational modifications or alternative plumbing fixtures all through their amenities,” Chard mentioned.
Chard mentioned the pandemic could also be accountable for the dearth of curiosity in this system. She mentioned since colleges on the time weren’t permitting folks inside and had been targeted on different issues concerning public well being, it was laborious for it to hit the bottom working. Nonetheless, she mentioned extra college districts have began to achieve curiosity and so they have been receiving extra cellphone calls with questions on it.
Any prices to sort things they discover defective or inflicting result in be within the water are left as much as the districts. Chard mentioned it’s finest for colleges to hop on board now.
“We predict it is rather essential to start out that sampling now, significantly whereas it is voluntary,” she mentioned.
Whereas present federal lead and copper legal guidelines don’t require the testing in colleges and daycares, Chard mentioned new ones seemingly will.
“We actually wish to encourage all of our colleges to contact us,” Chard mentioned.
“It was an simply fixable drawback,” Templeman mentioned.
Templeman mentioned they’ve changed three of the taps within the college and have yet another nonetheless needing alternative. She mentioned it was a comparatively cheap repair. The Division of Environmental High quality mentioned with extra funding, they are able to assist some colleges repair any issues they discover.
