March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 46 F

Annapolis Middle School students start GoFundMe to combat lead in school drinking water

UPDATED: Included additional information from AACPS.

The Student Government Association at Annapolis Middle School has said enough is enough. 17 of the school’s water sources have been identified as exceeding the safe levels of lead. While the school is working through the needed repairs, there is no definitive timeline.

One hundred forty(140) lead water samples were collected from Annapolis Middle School.  Of these lead water samples, seventeen (17) had levels of lead exceeding the action level of 20 parts per billion for lead in drinking water in school buildings.

The Student Government Association has started a GoFundme campaign to raise $7000 to install seven Elkay filtered bottled water stations  and water fountains in the school. At press time the fund had raised nearly 10% of the $7000 goal.

The school suggests that students bring bottled water; but sometimes it is not enough. From a parent:

Kids have to bring water bottles to school to drink, but do not have the ability to fill them up. My daughter carries a 30oz water bottle to school every day and days she stays after it is not enough.

The law requires testing to be done while school is in session (and water supply in use). To mitigate the lead, officials will start at the tap and work their way back. If a water fountain is replaced and re-tested and found safe, it will be back in service. If it is still unsafe, they will replace the pipes leading to that particular fountain. If still unsafe, they will look to the source coming into those pipes etc. Typically this work is scheduled when school is not in session.

We contacted school spokesperson Bob Mosier who said that of the 17 elevated outlets, only 6 of them were consumable outlets and 2 were drinking fountains. “Just to be clear, it is the fixtures on those six outlets (the two drinking fountains and four other outlets) which have been replaced and are being retested.”

Previous Article

Annual Family Concert by the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra

Next Article

Have you seen the Trumpy exhibit at the Annapolis Maritime Museum and Park?

You might be interested in …