Dear families and staff of Irene Reither Elementary School, Building B,

As of 2021, Washington state law (RCW 28A.210.410 and RCW 43.70.830) requires drinking water in all K–12 public schools built, or with all plumbing replaced, before 2016 be tested for lead. The purpose of lead testing is to identify drinking water outlets that are potential sources of lead exposure. It is natural for lead to accumulate in older or infrequently used drinking water outlets. These outlets are identified through testing so they can be shut off or replaced to reduce exposure to lead from school drinking water.

What We’ve Learned

On Feb. 16, 2024, 107 drinking water outlets at Irene Reither Elementary were sampled. Water from outlets used for drinking or food preparation were tested for lead by a state-accredited laboratory. Test results received in March show 21 outlets with elevated lead levels. Per RCW 28A.210.410, elevated lead level means a lead concentration in drinking water that exceeds five parts per billion (ppb). Samples from Meridian Middle School and Meridian High School were at or below five ppb and did not require any action.

What We’re Doing

  • Immediately upon receiving test results, water to outlets was made inaccessible for drinking, or signage was placed to ensure it was not used for drinking.

  • We are working closely with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and have developed  a remediation plan for reducing lead levels in drinking water.  The action plan is available on our website.

Why Lead is a Concern

Children are exposed to lead from a variety of environmental sources. Each exposure contributes to the amount of lead in a child’s body. Some common exposure sources include:

  • Dust from old, deteriorating lead paint.

  • Contaminated soil.

  • Lead dust tracked into the home from external sources, such as parents and regular visitors who work in certain industries where lead is present.

While the likelihood of school drinking water alone causing an elevated blood lead level is very low, it is important to reduce exposure from every source as much as possible. Children six years old and younger are the most susceptible to the effects of lead. Their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults, and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. Even at very low levels of exposure, children may experience effects, such as lower IQ levels, reduced attention span, hyperactivity, poor classroom performance, or other harmful physical and behavioral effects. Children over the age of eight are less susceptible to the impacts of lead exposure. Children who have been exposed to lead may not look or act sick. The best way to tell if a child has been exposed is with a blood lead test.

Where to Learn More

Lead test results are included in our action plan and are available on our website at https://www.meridian.wednet.edu/departments/maintenance-operations/. For more information about water quality in our schools, please contact Jay Yeager at jyeager@meridian.wednet.edu. Additional information about lead exposure, as well as how to prevent lead exposure, is available at doh.wa.gov/lead. You can also reach out to the DOH Childhood Blood Lead Program at 800-909-9898 or lead@doh.wa.gov for more information. If you are concerned that your child has been exposed to lead for any reason, ask your healthcare provider about having them tested for lead.