Earlier this week, Healdsberg Elementary School, located in Sonoma County, was closed due to concerns over high levels of lead found in the school’s water. Initial testing was conducted in late 2015 after cloudy water was discovered.
Parents were notified of the school’s aging pipes causing the high levels of lead. While awaiting test results, the school began providing students with water bottles.
The district worked with Sonoma County Department of Health Services to re-test the water, after flushing out water fountains and pipes.
After new testing conducted on Thursday, Healdsberg Unified School District announced the school’s lead levels were well within the federal guidelines of 15 parts per billion.
“HUSD believes the lead in the water is the result of an aging plumbing system in the HES main building. Any structure constructed before 1989 could possibly have plumbing materials that may leach lead into drinking water. Thus, a problem such as this is not uncommon in older buildings,” the district said in a statement.