Wiscasset School Department is continuing safeguards after the latest results on lead. It was found at “elevated” levels, meaning greater than four parts per billion, in water from six fixtures at Wiscasset Middle High School and 20 fixtures at Wiscasset Elementary School, according to Maine Department of Health and Human Services Center for Disease Control and Prevention Drinking Water Program documents posted at wiscassetschools.org. The results were also posted at both schools, Maintenance and Transportation Director John Merry tells the school committee in documents released ahead of the June 14 Wiscasset School Committee meeting. “Staff has been instructed to ... continue following the drinking water procedure that was put in place after initial test results were received.”

In a phone interview Tuesday morning, Merry said that means the schools will keep only using drinking water locations without elevated levels. And the department is making longer term plans that could include replacing some plumbing, he said. 

Drinking Water Program Manager Amy Lachance responded via email Friday to questions about how the agency addresses lead levels in schools’ drinking water. Lachance said regulations require all Maine schools to test for lead “in every fixture ... used for consumption and provide notice of the results to the school community. Remediation of high lead results is strongly encouraged, but not specifically required by the law,” Lachance said.

“The Drinking Water Program will continue to assist schools with high results as they work to mitigate lead in the drinking water,” Lachance added.