Drinking Water Lead Testing Program

Providing Safe Drinking Water at All DMPS Schools

With more than 3,145 water samples tested, DMPS is working to maintain safe drinking water at all schools.

A top priority at Des Moines Public Schools is the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

With national attention and awareness about lead in drinking water, including reports of elevated levels of lead in school drinking water around the country, DMPS has taken steps to determine if this is an issue in Des Moines and to ensure safe drinking water in our schools.

In April 2016, DMPS began a program to monitor lead levels in school drinking water by working with both an outside testing laboratory as well as Des Moines Water Works. This was the start of regular testing of water in all school buildings.

This initiative began with an initial building screening. The screening began with the collection of samples from hallway drinking fountains, kitchens, nurses’ offices, and selected classrooms throughout all of the district’s school buildings.

Following the initial building screening, sample results were evaluated to determine appropriate response actions. If lead levels above 15 parts per billion (ppb) were found in any school building, the district implemented corrective actions to reduce lead from the building’s drinking water based upon steps recommended by health and environmental experts. This included steps such as replacing equipment or regularly flushing drinking fountains and sinks. DMPS has taken corrective action based on initial testing data and follow-up samples.

DMPS has implemented a plan to regularly test the drinking water at all schools. While such testing is not required by law, DMPS is taking this action to further ensure a healthy environment in our schools. Test results have been received for over 3,145 samples. Sampling data is available upon request.

Please refer to the sections below for testing information from each DMPS school building, the district’s lead in drinking water management plan, and links to additional information about lead and drinking water.

DMPS DRINKING WATER TEST RESULTS

Enter the school name in the search bar below:

NOTE: Sampling data is available upon request.

DMPS LEAD TESTING PROTOCOL

Following guidelines established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and working closely with our partners at Des Moines Water Works, DMPS is following a strict protocol to test school drinking water for lead.  A summary of the steps in the process include:

1. Gather the initial sample and test results.
2. All results less than 15 parts per billion (ppb): no further action is required until the next scheduled testing.
3. If there are any results from a building with a concentration more than 15 ppb, a flush sample will be collected and tested from every location with an initial test result greater than 15 ppb.
4. If results of the second sample are less than 15 ppb, corrective actions will be implemented which may include, but are not limited to: fixture replacement; termination of service to a fixture; implementation of a fixture-flushing program; and completion of a full-building drinking water survey.
5. If results of the flush sample are greater than 15 ppb, corrective actions will be implemented and follow-up sampling will be completed to confirm effectiveness of the measures taken. A full-building drinking water survey will be completed.

Click here to read about the DMPS Water Monitoring Action Plan.

ONGOING WATER MONITORING SCHEDULE

All DMPS buildings and schools are monitored on a rolling five-year schedule as follows:

• YEAR ONE: Central Campus/Downtown School, Central Nutrition Center, Cowles, Garton, Greenwood, Hillis, Jefferson, Madison, Moore, Phillips, Samuelson, Smouse, Stowe, Studebaker, Walnut Street
• YEAR TWO: Cattell, Operations (Dean Avenue), Findley, Hanawalt, Hubbell, Jackson, King, Kurtz Opportunity Center, McKinley, Merrill, Moulton, North, North High Outdoor Athletics, Oak Park, Perkins, Pleasant Hill, Willard
• YEAR THREE: 2100 Fleur, Callanan, Central Academy, East, Harding, Hiatt, Hoover, Hoover High Outdoor Athletics, Hoyt, McCombs, Meredith, Prospect, Roosevelt, Roosevelt Outdoor Athletics, Van Meter, Walker Street, Weeks, Welcome Center
• YEAR FOUR: Aviation Lab, Brubaker, Capital View, Carver, Edmunds, Howe, McKee, Mitchell, Monroe, Morris, River Woods, Taylor, Windsor, Wright
• YEAR FIVE: Agricultural Lab, Brody, East High School Outdoor Athletics, Goodrell, Lincoln, Lincoln High Outdoor Athletics, Lincoln RAILS Outdoor Athletics, Lovejoy, Park Avenue, South Union, Woodlawn

NOTE: Schedule is subject to change based upon programming and sampling results.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

The following local and national organizations provide helpful information about lead and drinking water:

• Des Moines Water Works: DMWW is the provider of water service to all school district facilities. Their web site includes information about how Des Moines works to reduce lead in drinking water as well as suggestions on how to reduce exposure to elevated levels of lead.
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The CDC offers information about the health effects of lead as well as tips on how to reduce and avoid exposure.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: The EPA provides a wide range of information about lead in water supplies along with advice on how to reduce and avoid exposure.