Dozens of school districts on Long Island are trying to figure out what to do next after tests found excessive lead levels in the drinking water at their buildings.
The New York State Health Department said water sources at roughly 44% of Long Island’s 707 school buildings exceeded the new lead levels being enforced.
Previously, the standard for the state was at 15 parts per billion. But it was made far more strict for 2025, tightening levels down to five parts per billion.
“It’s certainly not a reason to panic at this point and time, I think parents should feel confident that schools have been on this for the past nine years,” Farmingdale Schools Superintendent Paul Defendini said Tuesday.
Testing for lead in water is nothing new, Defendini said, with every water fountain and water sources used for drinking or cooking being tested. But with stricter standards come more problems being found.
“Schools truly do want children to be safe within their walls, and they are doing their testing,” said Michele Herdt, of the state health department.
Herdt said schools are required to repair water pipes or fixtures to make them safe, then do another round of testing — and parents must be alerted about what’s being done.
“This report is not shocking. Schools tend to have older infrastructure and that includes older pipes,” said environmental advocate Maureen Murphy, of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment.
Murphy noted that lead is a toxic contaminant that can impact kids’ health, and encouraged parents to send their kids to school with water. In Farmingdale and other districts, water bottle refill stations have been replacing old water fountains.
Defendini said the old fountains are being closed permanently in order to ensure students’ safety.
“Ninety-eight of our students are using the bottle-filling stations, they’re not using water fountains. They’re walking around with a water bottle they just fill up,” the superintendent said.
Defendini alerted parents of the situation by letter, as every district is required to do. So far, he said he’s received no complaints or concerns.