Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST
UPDATE ON LEAD CONTAMINATION IN HAMILTON NJ
On April 1, Duffy's Cultural Couture did a story on the lead level testing for the children in Hamilton, NJ, Mercer county.
According to a report by the N.J. Department of Health from 2014, the township of Hamilton demonstrated they had 1,814 children who were in the age bracket of 6 to 26 months of age. Only 22% of these children were tested for lead. These results demonstrate one of the lowest in the state out of the large municipalities evaluated.
- 392 children in this age bracket were found to have lead levels below 5 BLL (µg/dL)
- 9 children in this age bracket were found to have lead levels between 5-9 BLL (µg/dL)
- 1 child in this age bracket were found to have lead levels above10 BLL (µg/dL)
- Only 22% of the children were tested
N.J.A.C. 8:51A requires the protection of children less than six years of age from the toxic effects of lead exposure by requiring lead screening pursuant to N.J.S.A. 26:2-137.2 et seq. (P.L. 1995, c 328. So why is the Township of Hamilton ignoring this law? Why are only 22% of the children being evaluated in Hamilton township, Mercer County?
According to a report by the N.J. Department of Health from 2014, the township of Hamilton demonstrated they had 5,480 children who were in the age bracket of less than 6 years of age. Only 14.9% of these children were tested for lead in Hamilton township, Mercer County. These results demonstrate one of the lowest in the state out of the large municipalities evaluated.
- 749 children in this age bracket were found to have lead levels below 5 BLL (µg/dL)
- 18 children in this age bracket were found to have lead levels between 5-9 BLL (µg/dL)
- 1 child in this age bracket were found to have lead levels above10 BLL (µg/dL)
- 1 child in this age bracket was found to have lead levels between 20-44 BLL
- Only 14.9% of the children were tested
The link below will take you to the original story by DUFFY
http://www.tammyduffy.com/ARTFASHION/index.blog/2359057/hamilton-leadership-ignores-lead-laws/
On Friday, the Superintendent of Hamilton released this statement
STATEMENT FROM SUPERINTENDENT – PLAN OF ACTION TO TEST LEAD IN HAMILTON SCHOOLS
In light of the heightened concerns of the possibility of lead being in the potable water supply, the district implemented a plan of action to test for lead in all the district’s owned schools and buildings water supplies. Under the direction of the district’s environmental consultant, Karl and Associates, we began testing over spring break following the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) guidelines for testing for lead in school water supplies.
According to EPA guidelines, samples should be taken from all sources of drinking outlets, such as water fountains, classrooms with faucet/drinking spigot combination sinks, faculty rooms, kitchens and nurse’s office sinks. This is a more thorough and in depth look at the drinking water supply in a school than random sampling provides for. According to the EPA guidelines, it is not necessary to sample faucets such as custodial sinks, bathroom sinks and outside hose bibs as these are not an intended source of drinking water. Karl and Associates contacted the State of New Jersey Department of Health to ascertain if this method of testing was consistent with State requirements and acceptable to the State. He was advised the listed testing procedures were fine.
The testing process involves taking two samples at each drinking source. The first sample will be drawn first thing in the morning before the building has been placed in use for the day and without running the water first. If the results of the first sample are within the EPA acceptable limits for lead in drinking water, than the water source is deemed fine. If the results are above the acceptable limits determined by the EPA, a second sample will be drawn from the same outlet source after flushing the line for a predetermined amount of time. If the second sample is within the EPA limits than the source of the contamination is the fountain or faucet. If the second sample is above the EPA limits the source of contamination could be somewhere in the supply lines and would require a more intensive process to locate the source of contamination.
Testing began over spring break and will continue systematically throughout the district. As soon as the district is notified a source is above the EPA limits, that source will be shut off. The district will immediately inform parents of that school community as soon as results are known and will continue to inform the parents as testing and reports are issued.
The district will take every precaution to ensure the safety and well-being of all of our students and staff.
Morgan School Results
The district verbally received the first sample results for Morgan School late Thursday, April 7, 2016, after school hours. Some of those samples tested above the acceptable levels for lead. In order to take every precautionary measure, the decision was made to shut off all drinking fountains and faucets used for drinking pending the results of the second samples and the written report. The district requested the expedited return of the second samples and written report for Morgan.
The district immediately arranged for bottled water for Morgan students and staff on Friday morning and by the afternoon, water coolers were delivered. All cooking for food service at Morgan will be done off-site with only heating of food on site. The first samples indicated the kitchen faucets are within acceptable levels, but we will continue to cook off site until the issuance of the final written report.
Greenwood School Results
The district verbally received the first sample results for Greenwood School Friday morning, April 8, 2016. Those results showed that one of the drinking fountains tested above the acceptable levels for lead. The district immediately shut off the water to that one drinking fountain pending results of the second sample and final written report.
Posted by tammyduffy
at 7:08 PM EDT
Updated: Sunday, 10 April 2016 7:18 PM EDT
