Lead in Drinking Water Update February 25, 2020 How We Got Here - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Lead in Drinking Water Update February 25, 2020

How We Got Here • 2015: Public health crisis in Flint, MI triggers nationwide conversation about lead in drinking water. • December 2016: SWRCB Division of Drinking Water requires local water providers to test schools’ drinking water if asked. • April-June 2017: City of San Diego conducts water sampling at SDUSD sites. • All tested fountains with lead above 15 parts per billion (ppb) secured, remediated, or removed. • July 2017 District implements 5 ppb City employee drawing first sample of water, standard. April 2017 2

Current Status • There are no known water outlets exceeding 5 ppb that have not been resolved. • All schools with any initial sample result exceeding 5 ppb (City or District testing): • Every drinking water outlet on those sites tested and remediated as necessary. 3

Lead in Drinking Water Samples 2,467 Drinking Water Outlets – Initial Sampling • Action Taken – Those 40 school 1% sites with any initial sampling 12% result above 5 ppb: • All drinking water outlets on site tested • All fully resolved 87% to below 5 ppb • Higher lead content typically found in drinking water outlets with Less than 5ppb minimal use 5 - 15 ppb Greater than 15 ppb 4

Proposed Actions • Provide drinking water solely through filtered water outlets. • Point of use filters as close to water outlet as possible • Replace drinking water fountains with strategically located, ADA compliant, filtered Hydration Stations • Hydration Station is a combination drinking fountain/bottle filling station • Remove remaining drinking fountains - Fewer drinking water outlets, but of a higher quality • With bottle filling stations, water is more portable • Confirmation testing after filter installation and random quality assurance testing of filtered outlets to ensure continued filter performance. • Discontinue whole-site testing in advance of new unit and filter installation. • Restate the District’s drinking water policy on lead content. 5

Proposed District Drinking Water Policy All drinking water outlets will provide filtered water that is expected to reduce lead in water content to below one part per billion . Through continued quality assurance sampling of water, any water outlet that tests for lead content above five parts per billion will be immediately removed from service. 6

Impact of Proposed Policy • Elimination of drinking fountain “bubbler” in elementary classroom • Sink to remain for hand washing, etc. • Successful completion of Clay ES Pilot • Initial outfitting performed by PPO and FPC • Funded by Prop YY • PPO taking lead in conversions • FPC installing in new buildings and as part of Whole Site Modernizations • Cost to maintain filters • Approximately $200 per filter per year (Approx. $400,000 annually) • Added cost to General Fund/Routine Restricted Maintenance Account • Added benefits • Filtering other possible contaminants • Water is more portable - promoting hydration • Potential reduction in plastic single use bottles Clay Elementary students at new Hydration Station 7

Implementation of Proposed Policy • Filters added to existing water outlet locations in: • Kitchen for food preparation (not required for dish washing) • Nurse’s office • Teachers’ Lounge/Staff break area • Shift from ~10,000 unfiltered water fountains to ~ 2,000 Filtered Hydration Stations. Typical locations: • Cafeteria/multi-purpose room • Gymnasium • Strategic locations throughout campus to meet 1 per 150 people (Plumbing Code) • On upper floors of multi-story buildings • Exterior locations near play areas and athletic fields 8

Timeline • Hydration Station program • 48 stations installed @ 8 Elementary/K-8 sites • To date, Clay is the only school with all non-filtered fountains removed. • All sites complete by August 2024 • As lead has a greater impact on the youngest children, implementation will follow: • Elementary Schools, then • Middle Schools, then • High Schools 9

Prioritizing Health • Plan developed to prioritize student and staff health • PPO, FPC, Nursing and Wellness, Legal, Industrial Hygienist, CALPIRG • Safety key points: • Schools with the highest chance of lead in water dealt with first • All with initial sampling results > 5 ppb resolved • Flushing outlets helps • Daily/weekly flushing • Concentrated effort over longer periods (return from winter/summer breaks) • Elementary before Secondary • Lead ingestion more impactful to young children • District has been conservative • District standard 3x more stringent than Federal standards • Early on where high levels of lead encountered in water outlets, blood testing did not demonstrate school of lead contributing to high blood lead level 10

Questions and Answers 11