Water Testing in District Buildings

Water Testing in NY public schools - revised 12/22/22

As of December 22, 2022, Public Health Law (Section 1110): Lead in Drinking Water was revised to include several changes that will impact schools specifically. Since 2016, public schools have been required to test for lead in their drinking water and to report the results of those tests on their websites. The new law specifies some changes to that earlier law.

Action level and remediation update

The state established a new action level of 5 micrograms of lead per liter, typically referred to as “parts per billion (ppb)," replacing the previous action level of 15 micrograms of lead per liter.

If a sample from a water outlet exceeds this level, schools must take steps to prevent the use of the outlet for drinking or cooking purposes until it is remediated and follow-up testing confirms it is no longer above the action level.

Schools must provide drinking water free of charge should it be necessary to take outlets out of service.

Lead-free buildings must also be tested

Under New York’s new law, school districts are required to conduct water testing in "lead free" buildings, however the district has no buildings designated as lead-free.

Lead-free, as defined by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, is based on the lead content of plumbing materials. Federal laws enacted in 1986, and updated in 2011, limit the amount of lead that can be used in new plumbing and fixtures. A building can be deemed lead-free if it was built after Jan. 4, 2014, or a New York State licensed Professional Engineer or Architect certifies it to be lead-free.

Testing Schedule

Water testing is now required every three years, as opposed to every five years prior to the updated law. Testing must be completed during the revised Compliance Testing Period, 2023-2025. Schools are encouraged to give testing priority to those water outlets that tested above 5 ppb. Sampling of hand washing outlets in lavatories will no longer be required.

Reporting

School districts are required to report the results of all water testing to the state Department of Health, the state Education Department and the local health department, and to post the results—along with remediation plans, if required—on the official district website.

More information and links to additional resources can be found on the EPA website under “Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water” or the New York State Health Department page. Please contact your building principal if you have questions or need more information.

More Information

Contact

Director of Facilities

Andrzej Rudiak
arudiak@mw.k12.ny.us
(845)460-6770

Water Testing Results

Resources