April 21, 2025
Dear families and staff Inchelium School District,
As of 2021, Washington state law (RCW 28A.210.410 and RCW 43.70.830) requires drinking water in all K–12 public schools built, or with all plumbing replaced, before 2016 be tested for lead. The purpose of lead testing is to identify drinking water outlets that are potential sources of lead exposure. It is natural for lead to accumulate in older or infrequently used drinking water outlets. These outlets are identified through testing so they can be shut off or replaced to reduce exposure to lead from school drinking water.
What We’ve Learned
On March 1, 2025, 21 drinking water outlets at Inchelium School were sampled. Water from outlets used for drinking or food preparation were tested for lead by a state-accredited laboratory. Test results show 8 outlets with elevated lead levels. Per RCW 28A.210.410, elevated lead level means a lead concentration in drinking water that exceeds five parts per billion (ppb).
What We’re Doing
· We are working closely with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) to develop a remediation plan for reducing lead levels in drinking water.
· Upon receiving test results, water to outlets with elevated lead levels was shut off or made inaccessible for drinking.
· We are in the process of replacing outlets and in some instances removing outlets or permanently disabling the outlet.
Why Lead is a Concern
Children are exposed to lead from a variety of environmental sources. Each exposure contributes to the amount of lead in a child’s body. Some common exposure sources include:
· Dust from old, deteriorating lead paint.
· Contaminated soil.
· Lead dust tracked into the home from external sources, such as parents and regular visitors who
work in certain industries where lead is present.
While the likelihood of school drinking water alone causing an elevated blood lead level is very low, it is important to reduce exposure from every source as much as possible. Children six years old and younger are the most susceptible to the effects of lead. Their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults, and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. Even at very low levels of exposure, children may experience effects, such as lower IQ levels, reduced attention span, hyperactivity, poor classroom performance, or other harmful physical and behavioral effects. Children over the age of eight are less susceptible to the impacts of lead exposure. Children who have been exposed to lead may not look or act sick. The best way to tell if a child has been exposed is with a blood lead test.
Where to Learn More
Lead test results are available at the district office and on our website at Lead in School Drinking Water Report. For more information about water quality in our schools, please contact Brian Freeman at 509-722-6181 Additional information about lead exposure, as well as how to prevent lead exposure, is available at doh.wa.gov/lead. You can also reach out to the DOH Childhood Blood Lead Program at 800-909-9898 or lead@doh.wa.gov for more information. If you are concerned that your child has been exposed to lead for any reason, ask your healthcare provider about having them tested for lead.