District 93 taking steps to keep kids safe from lead found in water

Water fountains at Ucon Elementary School were wrapped up and out of service Tuesday after high levels of lead was found in one of them last week.

The school lunches were also prepared at a different school, and bottled water was brought in.

According to John Pymm, safety director of Bonneville School District 93, lead was only found in the one water fountain.

“It was one site in the building, we know it isn’t Ucon City, we know it’s isolated here,” he said. “As far as we can tell, it’s isolated to one source.”

Pymm said the district does not yet know where the lead came from. He said the district is waiting on a full report from the Department of Environmental. Once D93 has that report, it can take action from there.

“We don’t know whether it’s general to the pipes or if it’s specific to that fountain,” he said. “And DEQ has indicated to me that there are certain makes and models of fountains that have yielded this type of problem elsewhere. “

If it is the make and model of the water fountain that is the problem, the school district said those will be replaced. That applies to all of the schools in the district.

In the mean time, Pymm said the school water fountains will stay out of use, lunches will be prepared at other schools and bottled water will continue to be provided.

“We don’t believe this occurred in such a way where anyone is in danger, but parents should be attentive,” Pymm said. “If they notice particular symptoms in their child, and the symptoms can be from mild vomiting, nausea all the way up to learning disabilities. “

If you think your child has symptoms of lead poising call a doctor.