Test results recently revealed Fayetteville-Manlius School District’s tap water is safe for consumption.
In March and April, the district voluntarily collected 107 water samples from various sources throughout each of its six schools, including drinking fountains, classrooms and cafeterias, to test for lead. All of the samples, which were tested by Life Science Labs, revealed the district’s drinking water is safe, according to United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) guidelines.
According to the US EPA, the lead “action level” limit for drinking water is 20 parts per billion. At F-M, nearly 75 percent of samples revealed one part per billion or fewer.
Although there is no legal requirement for school districts to test for lead in drinking water, the district wanted to take a proactive measure to ensure students’ safety, especially in light of recent national and local news surrounding elevated lead levels in drinking water, said F-M’s Director of Facilities Russell McCarty.
The district’s last water test was performed 10 years ago.