More than 60 Long Island school districts had excessive lead levels in drinking water: data

More than 60 Long Island schools had drinking water with lead levels that blew past new state maximums, according to newly released data from the Department of Health.Over 40 Suffolk County school districts and more than 20 Nassau districts had test results from faucets or water fountains that showed lead levels exceeded 5 parts per billion , the data showed.The state limit went into effect in 2022, more stringent from than the prior max of 15 parts per billion.The state’s data does not disclose how high the lead levels were at each school, only how many water outlets in each school throughout every district exceeded the limit.All 64 districts that tested above the threshold are now required to take the affected water fountains or faucets out of service and provide free alternatives to students while immediately implementing a remediation plan, according to state rules. Each district affected is also required to notify its staff and parents — many of whom are not happy with the state’s findings — of the positive test results in writing. “It makes me ask to think about — like are my kids just ingesting brown, lead-filled water all day? They need to fix this immediately,” Bay Shore dad Rich Santos said.Bay Shore’s high school exceeded lead limits at six water outlets, the state data showed.“You send your kid to school assuming the basics are covered — clean water shouldn’t even be a question,” he added.Jayden Curry, a student at Brentwood High School — one of the districts found to have excessive lead levels in its water — said he’ll be asking his mother to buy him a large water bottle to carry around at school.

“It will be annoying to carry that jug with me but I am not drinking any lead water, that’s for sure,” he quipped. Lead exposure can be harmful, especially to children, and can potentially cause brain damage, learning disorders, delayed growth, and even speech or hearing impediments.The state DOH emphasized that its test...