United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
4601
EPA810/F-90-021
February 1990
&ER& FACT SHEET: LEAD IN
DRINKING WATER COOLERS
Protecting the nation's children from exposure to lead from school drinking water coolers is the primary
goal of the Lead Contamination Control Act (LCCA), which was signed into law on October 31,1988.
EPA recommends that drinking water outlets-especially water coolers~in schools be tested to ensure
that lead levels in the water are below 20 parts per billion.
This fact sheet will help school administrators address the problem of school water coolers that contain
lead. It reflects current information as of February 1990. The information on the accompanying list will
be updated periodically.
How To Identify Problems
First, Identify which water coolers contain lead com-
ponents; follow these steps as a minimum protocol.
Inventory each cooler and note Its brand, model,
serial number, and year.
Check the accompanying list to identify any coolers
that are not lead free.
Sample water from all outlets where lead contami-
nation is most likely, especially coolers that are not
lead free and those wtth lead-lined tanks. However,
even coolers that are "lead free" may have high lead
levels in their water due to other sources In the
plumbing system and should be tested. Follow the
sampling and testing protocols in the EPA booklet
Lead in Schools Drinking Water. (See the box below,
right)
Contact your State agency responsible for the
LCCA program (see box below, right) for information
and assistance on testing your water samples. Water
samples should be sent only to certified laboratories
that use the EPA-approved Graphite Furnace Atomic
Absorption (AA) method. In some cases, the local
water supplier, local or State department of health or
environment, or the lab will collect and analyze the
samples. In most cases, the lab will provide contain-
ers and instructions for collection. The charge for lab
tests ranges from $7 to $30 per sample. In some
States or localities, there may be funding available for
testing.
What To Do If Problems Are Found
If the lead level of any fountain or outlet exceeds 20 parts per
billion (ppb), take immediate action to reduce the level of
contamination. Rushing outlets on a daily basis before
school begins may sufficiently reduce exposures, especially if
the problem is localized to a few outlets in a building. How-
ever, daily flushing may not be practical for water coolers.
Take follow-up samples from any outlet with lead levels
above 20 ppb to pinpoint the source of the problem. Make
sure to follow the instructions in the EPA booklet Lead In
School Drinking Water. If you find a cooler to be the source
of the lead, contact the distributor or manufacturer to deter-
mine how the problem may be corrected. If a cooler that is
not lead free is responsible for high lead levels, removal may
be necessary. The Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC) has the responsibility to issue an order to require
manufacturers and importers to repair, replace or recall water
coolers identified by EPA has having lead-lined tanks. Con-
tact the CPSC Hotline (800/638-2772) to determine the status
of their actions.
For More Information
Contact the StaM office listed below for information on identifying and
eon-acting laad in drinking water problams. Contact the EPA Safe
Drinking Water Hotline at 800/426-4791 for other information and for the
booklet {.MO1 In Schools Drinking Water.
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Fact Sheet: Lead In Drinking Water Coders
Water Coolers With Lead-Lined Tanks
The following list of model numbers represents all of the drinking water coolers with lead-lined tanks
that have been identified to date. The models listed here were selected because one or more of the
units in that model series have been tested and found to have lead-lined tanks. These six models
are made by the Halsey Taylor Company.
WM8A
WT8A
GC 10ACR
GC10A
GC5A
RWM 13A
Other Water Coolers Containing Lead
EBCO Manufacturing Company
EBCO has identified all pressure bubbler water
coolers with shipping dates from 1962 through
1977 as having a bubbler valve containing lead,
as defined by the LCCA. The units contain a
single 50-50 tin-lead solder joint on the bubbler
valve. Model numbers for those coolers in this
category were not available.
The following EBCO models of pressure bubbler
coolers produced from 1978 through 1981
contain one 50-50 tin-lead solder joint each:
CP3
CP10-50
DP20-50
DP13A
DP7M
DP13M-60
CP5M
DP14S
DP5F
CP3-50
7P
DP3R
DP13A-50
PX-10
DP7MH
DP14M
DP15MW
DP7SM
DP10F
CP3H
13P
DP3RH
DP14A-50/60
DP12N
DPM8
DP15M
DP5S
DP13SM
EP5F
CP5
13PL
DP8A
DP10X
np-mw
DPM8H
DP16M
DP7S
DP7WM
EP10F
CP10
DP20
DP8AH
C10E
DP5M
DP13M
CP3M
DP13S
DP7WMD
WTC10
LXJ 1 WIVI V V *mft 1 W V *
Pressure bubbler water coolers manufactured by EBCO and
marketed under the "Oasis" and "Kelvinator" brand names with
the identified model number* have been distributed in the U.S.
In addition, EBCO indicated that "Aquarius" pressure bubbler
water coolers are manufactured for distribution in foreign
countries, including Canada. Although unlikely, it is conceivable
that an "Aquarius" cooler with one of the model numbers listed
above could have been transported into the U.S.
Halsey Taylor Company
Halsey Taylor reports using lead solder in
these models of water cooler manufactured
between 1978 and the last week of 1987.
WMA-I . SCWT/SCWT-A
SWA-I DC/DHC-1
S3/5/10 D BFC-4F/7F/4FS77FS
S300/500/1000D
In addition to these Halsey Taylor models,
Halsey Taylor indicates that the following
Haws brand coolers manufactured for Haws
by Halsey Taylor from November 1984
through December 18, 1987, are not lead free
because they contain two tin-lead solder
joints. The model designations for these
coolers are:
HC8WT HC14W
HC8WTH HC4F
HC14WT HC4FH
HC14WTH HC8F
HC14WL HC8FH
HC16WT HC14F
HC4W HC14FH
HC6W HC14FL
HC8W HCBF7
HCBF7D
HCBF7HO
HWC7
HWC7D
HC2F
HC2FH
HC5F
HC10F
Note: A number of water coolers have been
deleted from the proposed list identifying them
as not lead free. For information about these
water coolers and others, refer to the January
18, 1990 Federal Register notice. I
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