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Lead Abatement

Regular testing and abatement to ensure our schools and drinking water is safe.

Safety is always the top priority in the School District of Lancaster. That is why the School District of Lancaster has regularly tested water sources for lead contamination. The district began voluntary testing in 2016. Now, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires all school districts to conduct annual tests on all district buildings.

Lead is particularly dangerous to children, especially under the age of 6, because their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults do and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. However, lead builds up over time, meaning children who consume large amounts of contaminated water, especially over a period of months or years, are most at risk of lead poisoning.

Parents/guardians who have concerns about lead contamination should consult with their pediatrician if a lead screening test is warranted.

Lead Testing Results: 2022-2023

The recommended action level for lead is 0.015 milligrams per liter (mg/L).

BUILDINGNo. of Test LocationsHighest ResultsRetest RequiredRetest ResultsMitigation Notes
Buehrle School30.005 mg/LNo
Burrowes Elementary40.096 mg/LYes0.004 mg/LFlushed
Carter & MacRae Elementary40.002 mg/LNo
E.R. Martin School4<0.001 mg/LNo
Full Circle Learning/Scheffey4<0.001 mg/LNo
Fulton Elementary5<0.001 mg/LNo
Hamilton Elementary40.026 mg/LYes0.002 mg/LFlushed
Jackson Middle50.003 mg/LNo
King Elementary40.007 mg/LNo
Lafayette Elementary40.006 mg/LNo
Lincoln Middle4<0.001 mg/LNo
McCaskey-East80.003 mg/LNo
McCaskey-JP70.068 mg/LYes0.010 mg/LFlushed
Phoenix Academy50.003 mg/LNo
Price Elementary40.005 mg/LNo
Reynolds Middle50.009 mg/LNo
Rockland Center30.009 mg/LNo
Ross Elementary40.005 mg/LNo
Smith-Wade-El Elementry40.002 mg/LNo
Washington Elementary40.003 mg/LNo
Wharton Elementary60.006 mg/LNo
Wheatland Middle40.08 mg/LNo
Wickersham (West) Elementary40.010 mg/LNo

Lead Testing Results: 2021-2022

BUILDINGNo. of Test LocationsHighest ResultsRetest RequiredRetest ResultsMitigation Notes
Buehrle School1<0.001 mg/LNo
Burrowes Elementary30.003 mg/LNo
Carter & MacRae Elementary40.004 mg/LNo
E.R. Martin School250.005 mg/LNo
Full Circle Learning/Scheffey30.005 mg/LNo
Fulton Elementary6<0.001 mg/LNo
Hamilton Elementary70.196 mg/LYes0.012 mg/LFlushed
Jackson Middle8<0.001 mg/LNo
King Elementary12.016 mg/LYes0.003 mg/LFlushed
Lafayette Elementary24.031 mg/LYes0.009 mg/LFlushed
Lincoln Middle6<0.001 mg/LNo
McCaskey-East6<0.001 mg/LNo
McCaskey-JP16<0.001 mg/LNo
Phoenix Academy50.176 mg/LYes0.013 mg/LFlushed
Price Elementary180.036 mg/LYesNDFlushed
Reynolds Middle4<0.001 mg/LNo
Rockland Center100.016 mg/LYesNDFlushed
Ross Elementary140.007 mg/LNo
Smith-Wade-El Elementry200.009 mg/LNo
Washington Elementary210.006 mg/LNo
Wharton Elementary160.002 mg/LNo
Wheatland Middle50.013 mg/LYes0.013 mg/LFlushed
Wickersham (West) Elementary70.024 mg/LYes0.013 mg/LFlushed

Lead Testing Results: 2019-2020

BUILDINGNo. of Test LocationsHighest Result (mg/L)Retest RequiredRetest Results (mg/L)Mitigation
Buchanan Elementary60.077NoSink was removed and no longer in service
Buehrle School31.09Yes<0.001Installed new lead free water fountain with bottle filler
Burrowes Elementary150.037Yes<0.001Installed water filters at sink
Carter & MacRae Elementary220.011No
Fulton Elementary180.014No
Hamilton Elementary50.055Yes<0.001Installed water filter at fountain in cafeteria
King Elementary110.006Yes<0.001Installed new water fountain with bottle filler in cafeteria
Lafayette Elementary40.006No
Lincoln MiddleN/AN/ANo testing due to building construction
E.R. Martin School180.05Yes<0.001Remainder of water sources tested at <0.015 after being flushed
McCaskey-JP160.01No
McCaskey-East160.2Yes<0.001Remainder of water sources tested at <0.015 after being flushed
Phoenix Academy70.083Yes<0.001Remainder of water sources tested at <0.015 after being flushed
Price Elementary180.134Yes<0.001Replaced all copper lines and fixtures at sinks, installed water filters at sinks, changed out water fountain at gymnasium with new fountain
Rockland Center180.008No
Ross Elementary50.006No
Lincoln Annex/Scheffey Building80.007No
Southeast Middle160.015Yes<0.001Remainder of water sources tested at <0.015 after being flushed
Washington Elementary170.004No
Wharton Elementary70.005No
Wheatland Middle150.21Yes<0.001Installed new water fountain with bottle filler in cafeteria
Wickersham Elementary70.108Yes<0.001Installed water filter at fountain in cafeteria

Lead Testing Results: 2018-2019

BUILDINGNo. of Test LocationsHighest ResultsRetest Required
James Buchanan40.003No
Robert Buehrle40.005No
Thomas Burrowes40.004No
Carter & MacRae40.001No
Robert Fulton40.001No
James Hamilton40.005No
Martin Luther King140.015Yes
Lafayette40.001No
Abraham Lincoln40.003No
Elizabeth Martin40.001No
JP. McCaskey40.001No
JP. McCaskey East40.001No
Phoenix Academy40.002No
John Price240.169Yes
Rockland Center40.003No
George Ross40.001No
R. Scheffey/Linc. Annex40.001No
Southeast40.001No
George Washington40.001No
Thomas Wharton40.001No
Wheatland40.002No
James Wickersham40.007No

1 At King Elementary, testing showed levels above the recommended action level in a hand-washing sink in the faculty lounge. The sink fixtures were replaced.

2 At Price Elementary, testing showed levels above the recommended action level in about half of the classroom sinks. (Parents/guardians of price students were notified which classrooms were affected.) The school shut down the contaminated sinks and provided bottled water for student consumption until a solution was determined. All water outlets were subsequently fitted with lead filters.