Water testing in the Green Island Union Free School District

In September 2016, a state law went into effect that requires all public school districts in New York to test water for lead. The law requires school districts to sample all water outlets currently or potentially used for
drinking or cooking purposes in buildings that may be occupied by students and to submit those samples to a state-approved lab for analysis. Regulations call for testing to take place every five years thereafter,
unless the state Commissioner of Health requires testing sooner. However, due to the pandemic the 2020 deadline was extended to June 30, 2021.

The state established an action level of 15 micrograms of lead per liter, typically referred to as “parts per billion (ppb).” 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. 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 this page.

The school district will notify staff, and all parents and guardians, of the results of these tests here, and at their child(ren)’s school(s).

Water Testing Results (AUGUST 2021)

All 93 outlets tested in Heatly have lead levels under 15 micrograms of lead per liter (typically referred to as “parts per billion (ppb)”), the threshold requiring action established by the state. 

Click here for previous results.

Lead-free Buildings

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.

Under New York’s new law, school districts are not required to conduct water testing in buildings designated as lead-free. Green Island Union Free School District has no structures designated as lead-free, as defined by the Safe Drinking Water Act. All buildings are subject to the new water testing law.