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School Drinking Water

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 Have Learned

The Shoreline School District proactively tested water outlets at all sites built prior to 2016. Water from 781 outlets potentially used for drinking or food preparation were tested for lead by a state-accredited laboratory, and out of extra precaution, a second round of testing was conducted by a different third-party laboratory. The first round of testing results showed 87 outlets with elevated lead levels, and the second round showed 52 outlets that were elevated, most of which are sink taps. Per RCW 28A.210.410, elevated lead level means a lead concentration in drinking water that exceeds five parts per billion (ppb).

Complete 2025 Drinking Water Testing Results

What We Are Doing

  • Upon receiving the test results, the district worked closely with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), to develop a remediation plan.
  • The district plumber replaced kitchen fixtures related to food preparation, and outlets with elevated levels were shut off, made inaccessible for drinking, or a sign was placed indicating the fixture as a ‘hand wash only’ station.
  • If the output of a fixture was low, the plumber adjusted the water flow.
  • The district is reviewing the cost and efficacy of removing water fountains from primary classrooms.
  • The district is providing access to safe drinking water to students and staff in classroom outlets that showed elevated lead levels by installing additional bottle filling stations / bubblers.
  • The district will schedule post-remediation testing with an accredited laboratory before June 2026.

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 available at the district office and above on this webpage. For more information about water quality in our schools, please contact Director of Maintenance, Operations, and Capital Projects Dan Stevens: 206-393-4200 or dan.stevens@ssd412.org. 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.