Washougal School District receives lead testing results

Drinking water in all Washougal schools has been found to be safe, based on limits established by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Earlier this spring, the district conducted testing of the drinking water in schools, in response to concerns of elevated lead levels being found at other schools across the state.

“In every case, the lead test results found the water was safe based on the limits established by the Environmental Protection Agency,” said Mike Stromme, superintendent. “In fact, testing revealed non-detectable levels of lead in all Washogual schools, with the exception of Excelsior High School.”

EHS was found to have one-tenth of the permissible .015 parts per million established by the Washington State Department of Health. It will be demolished at the end of June and replaced with a new building, as per plans from the voter-approved $57.68 million capital bond, passed in February 2015.

Cape Horn-Skye Elementary and Canyon Creek Middle schools use water provided from a well, as opposed to the municipal water system used by other district schools. Both were tested in September 2015 for lead and copper, with results within permissible levels.

Two water sources at facilities in the Camas School District tested above the state Department of Health’s trigger level for lead last month. These are one drinking fountain at Dorothy Fox Elementary School and a sink at the Zellerbach Administration Center, which houses the preschool and before- and after-school care programs.

This summer, all drinking fountains original to Dorothy Fox Elementary will be replaced, and water testing will be repeated to ensure the issue is resolved.