Does your child's school have lead in its water? Tracking Colorado's testing results
A new Colorado law that took effect Jan. 1, 2023, requires all licensed day care facilities and preschools, along with all public schools serving children from preschool through the eighth grade, to test water fixtures used for drinking and food preparation for lead.
Day care facilities, preschools and public elementary schools were required to provide samples collected under strict protocols and submit them for testing to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment by May 31, 2023. The deadline for public middle schools is Nov. 30, 2024.
Remediation is required prior to further use for any water fixture tested that is found to have lead content higher than 5 parts per billion. Remediation efforts will vary by site and location, but can range from replacing the fixture, pipes leading to it or both, and/or filtration to reduce the lead content.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there's a growing body of study that shows lead exposure can cause cognitive, cardiovascular, immunological and endocrine effects in children. Children younger than age 6 are particularly vulnerable to health impacts due to their developing nervous system.
Results of the statewide drinking water testing are posted online by the state health department on the Water Quality Control Division’s Test and Fix Water for Kids Lead Testing Results website.
More: Multiple PSD schools shut off water fixtures after state-mandated lead testing
Poudre School District began testing its preschool and elementary-school fixtures in February to ensure the required samples are received prior to the May 31 deadline, school district spokesperson Madeline Noblett said.
The Thompson School District voluntarily tested fixtures at all of its schools in 2018-19, funded by a grant from the state health department, and worked with the state to have those results retroactively added to the new database, said Jess Arnold, an environmental specialist with the district. That testing included 2,645 fixtures, with 3.9% requiring mediation, she said. TSD is resampling all fixtures that tested above the 5-parts-per-billion threshold in those tests, fixtures that were not part of that testing protocol and fixtures in new additions and new school buildings.
The Windsor-Severance School District (Weld RE-4) plans to test its fixtures in May 2023, spokesperson Katie Smith said.
Here are the results of testing at schools in the Poudre, Thompson and Windsor-Severance school districts. Results will be updated here weekly.
Poudre School District
Fort Collins Montessori – 15 fixtures tested in samples taken Feb. 17, 2023; no issues
Fullana Learning Center − 7 of 21 fixtures tested above threshold (3 drinking fountains, 3 classroom sinks, 1 kitchen sink) in samples taken April 27, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Elementary Schools
Bacon – 1 of 77 fixtures tested above threshold (1 classroom sink) in samples taken March 31, 2023, and has been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Bamford – 1 of 71 fixtures tested above threshold (1 classroom sink) in samples taken April 19, 2023, and has been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Bauder – 75 fixtures tested in samples taken Jan. 31, 2023; no issues
Beattie – 15 of 56 fixtures tested above threshold (10 classroom sinks, 3 drinking fountains, 1 nurse's office sink, 1 kitchen steamer) in samples taken Feb. 14 and Feb. 23, 2023 and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Bennett – 2 of 69 fixtures tested above threshold (1 drinking fountain, 1 classroom sink) in samples taken Jan. 27, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Bethke – 73 fixtures tested in samples taken April 13, 2023; no issues
Cache la Poudre – 13 of 70 fixtures tested above threshold (10 classroom sinks, 2 kitchen fixtures, 1 media center faucet) in samples taken Feb. 10, 2023 and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Dunn – 4 of 64 fixtures tested above threshold (2 classroom sinks, 1 kitchen steamer, 1 refrigerator/ice-maker in breakroom) in samples taken Feb. and Feb. 23, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Eyestone – 20 of 63 fixtures tested above threshold (18 classroom sinks, 2 kitchen steamers) in samples taken Feb. 9, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Fort Collins Montessori – 15 fixtures tested on Feb. 17, 2023; no issues
Harris – 48 fixtures tested March 2, 2023; no issues
Irish – 3 of 66 fixtures tested above threshold (2 classroom sinks, 1 refrigerator/ice-maker in breakroom) in samples taken Jan. 26, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Johnson – 10 of 55 fixtures tested above threshold (1 drinking fountain, 9 classroom sinks) in samples taken March 30, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Kruse – 11 of 58 fixtures tested above threshold (10 classroom sinks, 1 nurse's station sink) in samples taken March 24, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Laurel – 9 of 73 fixtures tested above threshold (7 classroom sinks, 1 kitchen faucet, 1 kitchen kettle) in samples taken March 10, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Liberty Common – 12 fixtures at Plato Campus tested in samples taken April 27, 2023; no issues. No results available for Aristotle Campus
Linton – 6 of 57 fixtures tested above threshold (6 classroom sinks) in samples taken April 6, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Livermore – 4 of 12 fixtures tested above threshold (4 classroom sinks) in samples taken April 20, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Lopez – 12 of 56 fixtures tested above threshold (10 classroom sinks, 2 kitchen fixtures) in samples taken Feb. 16, 2023, and March 1, 2023 and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
McGraw – 17 of 61 fixtures tested above threshold (15 classroom sinks, 1 kitchen kettle, 1 nurse's station sink) in samples taken March 22, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Mountain Sage Community – 11 fixtures tested in samples taken May 17, 2023; no issues
O’Dea – 2 of 73 fixtures tested above threshold (1 drinking fountain, 1 kitchen steamer) in samples taken Feb. 1, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Olander – 8 of 59 fixtures tested above threshold (4 classroom sinks, 2 drinking fountains, 2 kitchen fixtures) in samples taken Feb. 17, 2023 and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
PSD Global – 9 of 24 fixtures tested above threshold (5 drinking fountains, 4 classroom sinks) in samples taken April 12, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Polaris Expeditionary Learning – 18 of 63 fixtures tested above threshold (12 classroom sinks, 5 drinking fountains, 1 sink at nurse’s station) in samples taken Feb. 3, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Putnam – 5 of 80 fixtures tested above threshold (2 drinking fountains, 3 classroom sinks) in samples taken Jan. 20, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Red Feather – 4 of 10 fixtures tested above threshold (1 drinking fountain, 3 classroom sinks) in samples taken April 20, 2023, and hve been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Rice – 1 of 76 fixtures texted above threshold (1 kitchen kettle) in samples taken March 3 and March 9, 2023, and has been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Ridgeview Classical – 11 fixtures tested oi samples taken May 16, 2023; no issues
Riffenburgh – 12 of 62 fixtures tested above threshold (10 classroom sinks, 1 kitchen kettle, 1 nurse's station sink) in samples taken March 1, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Shepardson – 8 of 71 fixtures tested above threshold (4 drinking fountains, 1 water-bottle filler, 1 classroom sink, 1 nurse's station sink, 1 kitchen faucet) in samples taken March 9, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Stove Prairie – 10 fixtures tested in samples collected April 14, 2023; no issues
Tavelli – 17 of 80 fixtures tested above threshold (13 classroom sinks, 2 drinking fountains, 1 water bottle filler, 1 nurse's station sink) in samples taken March 8, 2023 and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Timnath – 6 of 52 fixtures tested above threshold (4 classroom sinks, 1 kitchen kettle, 1 nurse's station sink) in samples taken April 5, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Traut – 27 fixtures tested in samples collected April 10, 2023; no issues
Werner – 8 of 50 fixtures tested above threshold (5 classroom faucets, 2 kitchen faucets, 1 outdoor spigot for drinking water) in samples taken March 23 and 29, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Zach −80 fixtures tested in samples collected March 29, 2023; no issues
Middle Schools
Blevins – no results available
Boltz – no results available
Cache la Poudre – no results available
Compass Community Collaborative – no results available
Kinard – no results available
Lesher – no results available
Liberty Common – no results available
Lincoln – no results available
Polaris Expeditionary Learning – 17 of 63 fixtures tested above threshold (5 drinking fountains, 11 classroom sinks, 1 sink at nurse’s station) in samples taken Feb. 3, 2023, have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
PSD Global – 9 of 24 fixtures tested above threshold (5 drinking fountains, 4 classroom sinks) in samples taken April 12, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Preston – no results available
Ridgeview Classical – no results available
Timnath – no results available
Webber – no results available
Wellington – no results available
Thompson School District
Preschools
Berthoud Early Childhood – 3 fixtures tested in samples taken March 8, 2019; no issues
Monroe Early Childhood −14 fixtures tested in samples taken March 30, 2019; no issues
Stansberry Early Childhood −25 fixtures tested in samples taken April 3, 2018, 2 fixtures tested in samples taken Aug. 28, 2018, 1 fixture tested in sample taken June 14, 2018; no issues
Thompson Integrated Early Childhood – 24 fixtures tested in samples taken April 3, 2018, 2 fixtures tested in samples taken Aug. 28, 2018, 2 fixtures tested in samples taken June 14, 2018; no issues
Elementary Schools
Berthoud – 2 of 9 fixtures tested above threshold (2 classroom sinks) in samples taken April 22, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation; No issues in previous samples taken of 54 fixtures March 31, 2018, and 2 fixtures Aug. 14, 2018.
B.F. Kitchen – 24 fixtures tested in samples taken March 24, 2018; no issues
Big Thompson – 34 fixtures tested in samples taken March 29, 2018; no issues
Carrie Martin – 4 of 15 fixtures tested above threshold (2 classroom sinks, 2 kitchen sinks) in samples taken April 14, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation. No issues found in samples of 24 fixtures tested April 17, 2018, 7 fixtures tested May 12, 2018, 1 fixture tested Feb. 16, 2019
Centennial – 1 of 3 fixtures tested above threshold (1 classroom sink) in samples taken April 6, 2023, and has been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation. No issues found in samples of 57 fixtures taken April 17, 2018, and 2 fixtures taken June 15, 2018
Cottonwood Plains – 2 of 3 fixtures tested above threshold (1 drinking fountain, 1 classroom sink) in samples taken April 11, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation. No issues found in samples of 66 fixtures taken April 21, 2018
Coyote Ridge – 49 fixtures tested in samples taken Nov. 17, 2018, 1 fixture tested in sample taken Jan. 26, 2019; no issues
Laurene Edmondson – 4 of 7 fixtures tested above threshold (3 kitchen sinks, 1 nurse's station sink) in samples taken April 13, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation. No issues found in samples of 34 fixtures taken April 17, 2018, 6 fixtures taken June 19, 2018, and1 fixture taken Jan. 26, 2019
Garfield – 31 fixtures tested in samples taken March 24, 2018, 1 fixture tested in sample taken Dec. 15, 2018; no issues
High Plains – 59 fixtures tested in samples taken Oct. 20, 2018; no issues
Lincoln – 3 of 16 fixtures tested above threshold (3 classroom sinks) in samples taken April 13 and April 20, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation. No issues found in samples of 29 fixtures taken March 31, 2018
Mary Blair – 56 fixtures tested in samples taken April 7, 2018; no issues
Sarah Milner – 4 of 17 fixtures tested above threshold (1 classroom sink, 2 kitchen sinks, 1 nurse's station sink) in samples taken April 20, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation. No issues found in samples of 34 fixtures taken May 4, 2018, 5 fixtures taken June 13, 2018, and 1 fixture taken Dec. 15, 2018
Namaqua – 12 of 20 fixtures tested above threshold (2 drinking fountains, 9 classroom sinks, 1 kitchen sink) in samples taken April 14, 2023. No ussies with previous 47 fixtures tested in samples taken April 4, 2018, 1 fixture tested in sample taken June 13, 2018, 2 fixtures tested in samples taken Aug. 9, 2018; no issues
New Vision Charter – no results available
Ponderosa – 53 fixtures tested in samples taken Oct. 6, 2018; no issues
Riverview – 6 fixtures tested in samples taken April 21, 2023; no issues
Ivy Stockwell – 8 of 51 fixtures tested above threshold (3 classroom sinks, 3 kitchen sinks, 1 music room sink, 1 nurse's station sink) in samples taken April 22, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Truscott – 3 of 4 fixtures tested above threshold (1 kitchen sink, 1 staff lounge sink, 1 nurse's station sink) in samples taken April 18, 2023. No issues found in samples of 11 fixtures taken March 24, 2018
Winona – 1 of 7 fixtures tested above threshold (1 classroom sink) in samples taken April 28, 2023. No issues found in samples of 57 fixtures taken April 14, 2018, and 2 fixtures saken June 13, 2018
Middle schools
Bill Reed – 2 of 3 fixtures tested above threshold (2 kitchen sinks) in samples taken April 18, 2023. No issues found in samples of 4 other kitchen fixtures taken April 28, 2018
Conrad Ball – no results available
High Plains – 59 fixtures tested in samples taken Oct. 20, 2018; no issues
Lucile Erwin – 1 fixture tested above threshold (1 kitchen faucet) in sample taken April 12, 2023, and has been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation. No issues found in samples of 7 other kitchen fixtures tested Oct. 13, 2018
; no issues
Riverview – 6 fixtures tested in samples taken April 21, 2023; no issues
Turner – no results available
Walt Clark – no results available
Windsor-Severance (Weld RE-4) School District
Elementary Schools
American Legacy Academy – no results available
Grandview – 55 fixtures tested in samples taken June 1, 2023; no issues
Mountain View – 9 of 48 fixtures tested above threshold (7 classroom faucets, 1 kitchen faucet, 1 nurse's office sink) in samples taken May 24, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Skyview – 4 of 52 fixtures tested above threshold (2 classroom faucets, 2 kitchen faucets) in samples taken May 23, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Range View – 70 fixtures tested May 24, 2023; no issues
Tozer – 8 of 50 fixtures tested above threshold (5 classroom faucets, 2 bathroom faucets, 1 kitchen faucet) in samples taken May 23, 2023, and have been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Windsor Charter Academy – 46 fixtures tested May 26, 2023; no issues
Middle schools
American Legacy Academy – scheduled to open fall of 2023
Severance – no results available
Windsor – no results available
Windsor Charter Academy – no results available
Others
Academy of Arts and Knowledge − 1 of 21 fixtures tested above threshold (1 classroom faucet) in samples taken May 19, 2023, and has been turned off awaiting retesting and remediation
Ascent Classical Academy − testing information not available
AXIS International Academy −37 fixtures tested in samples taken April 28, 2023; no issues
Colorado Early Colleges Fort Collins Middle School −1 of 27 fixtures tested above threshold (1 kitchen faucet) in samples taken May 26, 2023, and has been shut off awaiting retesting and remediation
Rivendell School – 18 fixtures tested in samples taken Jan. 28, 2023; no issues
Reporter Kelly Lyell covers education, breaking news, some sports and other topics of interest for the Coloradoan. Contact him at kellylyell@coloradoan.com, twitter.com/KellyLyell or facebook.com/KellyLyell.news.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Does your child's school have lead in its water? Tracking test results
