Water Quality Testing Information

 Water Quality in School Drinking Water

The safety and health of students and staff is our top priority in Selah Public Schools. In the March of 2018 we voluntarily decided to work with the Washington State Health Department and test for lead in school water at John Campbell Elementary and the Sunset Building. Although this testing has just recently been implemented by our State Legislature and facilitated by our State Department of health, district officials felt that it was important for us to get involved early for a safe safe and healthy learning environment.

Guidelines for water quality testing

The Selah School district is following information and guidance from the Federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington State Department of Health for lead testing.

Testing drinking water for lead is a two-stepped process that starts with sample test for lead accumulation in stagnant water. If the sample test shows levels of lead above the action level of 20 parts per billion (ppb), those fixtures are immediately shut off and undergo a follow-pup test. The water supply will remain shut off until the problem is resolved. The Selah School District will also take any fixture between 10-20 (ppb) under the action level requirement, immediately replace, condition, and retest the fixture assuring that we achieve the lowest (ppb).

Testing Results

The test conducted at John Campbell and Sunset by the State Health Department was comprehensive and include 96 fixtures (sinks and drinking fountains) of those fixtures only 6 had elevated levels of lead over (9 ppb) and of those 6 only 1 was over (20 ppb). Following guidelines for our Health Department all fixtures have been replaced, conditioned and retested by Fulcrum Environmental. Once a new fixture get below action (9 ppb) level they will be put back inservice. We have also implemented regular flushing and aerator cleaning for all fixtures weekly. It is important to note that it is the belief of both the Health Department and the District that the lead levels are a direct result of the fixtures and not the water source.