EBMUD to test for lead contamination in Oakland schools

OAKLAND, Calif. (Allie Rasmus) - Officials with the East Bay Municipal Utility District on Thursday will start testing the water at all 86 schools in the Oakland Unified School District, after lead was found in some of the schools' drinking fountains.
 

Thornhill Elementary School is one of at least seven schools in Oakland, which was tested by the district in August. Those tests showed there was lead contamination in some sinks and drinking fountains.
 

OUSD representatives say those faucets and other water sources have been shut down; some have already been replaced and others are still in the process of getting replaced.

These concerns came up last August when lead was discovered in the showers at McClymonds High School , where the showers are still out of commission.

But that prompted the district to start testing its 85 other schools for possible lead contamination.

The district’s testing started about three months ago and has been completed. 
 

EBMUD is now doing its own testing of the Oakland schools’ faucets and water sources. The district says it expects those tests to confirm the results they’ve already found.

Based on the tests so far, a school district spokesman has said that none of the OUSD schools have lead throughout their water systems. The lead problems were limited to specific faucets and fixtures in the buildings.

Here is a breakdown of the test results at each school. 

For more information on OUSD water quality, click here.