Houston, MO. – As a result of recent water tests within the Houston R-1 School District, high lead levels have been discovered. This has led to much discussion amongst residents about the safety of the school’s water supply.
These water tests were made as a part of statutory requirements that are part of the “Get Lead out of School Drinking Water” Act. This bill was passed in 2022, and sets standards for concentrations of lead in school water supplies.
The tests that were performed found that 21 water fixtures within the school system read at high levels. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, no level of lead can be considered safe for consumption “because lead is a toxic metal that can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels. Lead is persistent, and it can bioaccumulate in the body over time”.
School officials have made statements on the testing of the water, with superintendent Doctor Justin Copley taking to social media to address the problems in a recent video. This video can be found here. The video outlines efforts to bring the water supply into compliance and increased efforts at communication to supply parents of students with information on this or any possible future issues.
