Are You Providing
Safe Drinkin? Water
at Your School?
SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency New England
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Action schools can take
to provide healthy drinkin?
water for students and staff
M mong their many duties, schools are responsible for
providing safe drinking water to students and staff. New
England schools receive their drinking water from nearby
public water supply systems or their own on-site well
water system. Drinking water provided by schools is
regulated under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and
state laws and regulations. If your school receives drinking
water from another provider, then you can be assured that
your water is regularly tested to ensure it meets federal
and state drinking water standards. If your school has its
own on-site well water system, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
and the state drinking
water program regulate it
as a public water system.
and school officials are
responsible for making
sure the water is safe. This
includes protecting the
source from contamination.
regularly testing and
reporting monitoring results.
and maintaining the
distribution system.
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1s your school in a drinking
water protection area?
cross New England, state drinking water agencies have
identified the land areas that provide water to public supply
wells and surface water supplies. In these areas, precipitation
falling on the land can eventually make its way to a water
supply well, reservoir or river used to provide drinking water. As
precipitation moves across the land or through the soil, it may
pick up pollutants and carry them to nearby drinking water sources.
Because activities on these lands can lead to drinking water
contamination, these lands have been designated as drinking water
protection areas.
Depending on which state you're in, this may be called a:
• wellhead protection area
• aquifer protection area
• drinking watershed area, or
• source water protection area.
It is important to keep pollutants off these lands, whenever possible.
Learn if your school is in a drinkin? water
protection area.
If your school receives
water from an on-site well water
system, its protection area is likely
to include the school property
and perhaps neighboring
properties. If your school
receives water from an-
other supplier, your
school property
may be in
the protection
area to the
supplier's wells or
reservoir. Contact your
local water supplier or state
drinking water program to learn if
your school is in a drinking water
protection area.
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Take care with toxic or haiardous materials to
keep them From ?ettin? into the drinkin? water.
Release of toxic or hazardous materials onto soil, into
septic systems, or to the ground through spills into floor drains
could cause contamination of a nearby
drinking water supply. School officials
must be sure that their staff knows
how to properly handle hazardous
materials and chemicals. Some
areas to check are sinks and floor
drains in: facility maintenance
areas, cleaning supply areas.
science laboratories, vocational
shops, and art classrooms. It is a
good idea to post signs over sinks
indicating chemicals cannot be
disposed of down the drain.
f^T Contact your state drinkin? water program to
receive an assessment of threats to your school's
drinkin? water supply.
Assessments have been done across New England to deter-
mine the susceptibility of public drinking water sources to contami-
nation and are a starting point for identifying activities that threaten
the safety of your school's drinking water.
State drinking water programs are required to complete a
drinking water source assessment for all public drinking water
systems. Each assessment includes information about the location
of each drinking water system's protection area, and about
activities that could potentially contaminate the drinking water
source. Many assessments also include recommendations for
preventing drinking water contamination.
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Does the drinkin? water at your
school have elevated lead levels?
M
I any schools don't realize that their own plumbing can
affect drinking water quality. Years ago, schools in New England
were built with pipes and fixtures that contain lead. When water
is in contact with lead-lined plumbing, lead may leach into water.
This can cause elevated lead concentrations in a school's drinking
water, even though the water entering the school meets drinking
water standards. Exposure to lead is a concern for all people, but
can most affect young children, infants and pregnant women.
Even at low exposures to lead, children may experience lower
IQ levels, impaired hearing, reduced attention span and poor
classroom performance. Higher lead levels may cause brain
damage in children. Recent studies also link blood-lead levels with
increases in blood pressure among adults. The only way to be sure
that lead is not a problem is to test your school's drinking water
samples from taps and water fountains.
@T Test drinkin? water in your school to check For lead.
Sample taps used most for drinking and preparing food.
Be sure the tests are completed by trained personnel and analyzed
by a state or EPA certified laboratory. If your school has its own
well, coordinate the tests with your certified operator. Your state
drinking water program can send you a list of certified laboratories.
@T Notify parents and staff if lead action levels are
exceeded.
Each state and EPA set lead levels that require follow-up
notification and action. Your notification should include the test
results, health effects of lead, and actions being taken to correct
the problem.
Qf Correct problems leading to high lead levels.
Lead pipes or fixtures in the school can cause elevated
lead levels. Regularly flushing the school plumbing system or
replacing lead components may lower lead levels. Contact your
State Drinking Water Program to learn how to lower lead levels at
your school.
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1s your school protecting against
cross-contamination of drinking water?
V ross contamination can happen when there is contact between
the drinking water system and another liquid or substance. Backflow
of harmful substances may happen due to reduced pressure in the
drinking water system or because of increased pressure in the
contaminating source. Because a contaminant may not have a strong
taste, odor or color, cross contamination may not be immediately
apparent. Cross connections can happen at schools when a tube or
hose from a faucet is submerged in a solution in a beaker or in a
custodian's sink; a pipe is connected from a drinking water source
to chemical lab equipment, a storage tank or cafeteria equipment;
or a hose is dropped into a waste/floor drain in an automotive shop.
boiler room or cafeteria. Other sources of potential cross connec-
tions include heating system boilers, water coolers, lawn sprinkler
systems, fire sprinkler systems and soft drink machines.
(3T Contact your local water supplier to learn if
they have a cross connection program.
Or, if your school has its own on-site well water system.
contact your state drinking water program to learn how to protect
against cross contamination of the school's drinking water system.
fvf Investigate potential cross connections at
the school.
Eliminate any direct cross connections or install appropri-
ate backflow preventative device(s).
Test backflow prevention devices used at the
school annually.
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Does your school
conserve water?
$
chools use a large amount of water. Every day schools require water
for their heating and cooling systems, restrooms, drinking water faucets.
locker rooms, cafeteria, laboratories, art rooms, outdoor playing fields and
lawns. As land development continues in New England, many communities
are finding it hard to provide enough drinking water and
have experienced water shortages. Increased water
usage has caused some streams to lose so much water
that they can no longer support native plants, fish and
animals. They have also become more susceptible
to pollution. Even areas that usually have plen-
tiful drinking water supplies have faced short-
ages due to drought. Water conservation is
needed to reduce water demand.
Make water conservation an
everyday practice at your school.
Saving water will lower water and
sewer costs, and reduce energy, chemical
and mechanical expenses.
Q| Use guides and tips to help
identify ways that your school can
conserve water.
The WAVE (Water Alliances for
Voluntary Efficiency) program is a
voluntary EPA program that provides
free water management software
and technical support to help
schools evaluate potential cost
savings from conserving water. Many
states also offer information
on water conservation.
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1s your drinkin? water supply secured
against vandalism or other harm?
I he terrorist attacks on our country and recent incidents of
school violence made us more aware and appreciative of the basic
services that Americans rely on every day, including safe schools
and drinking water. Even before these recent events, schools have
traditionally had to protect against vandalism and end of the year
pranks by students.
Be sure your school is secure and ready to handle
potential emergencies.
Assess the vulnerability of the school's drinking water system
to harm and prepare an emergency response plan. Work with your
local emergency planning committee, and be sure everyone work-
ing at your school is involved in this effort and understands their
responsibilities. Carry out a mock drill of your emergency
response plan, and know who to contact if there is a drinking water
emergency.
Get the latest information and guidance
aTout security.
Laws have been passed
recently requiring security
vulnerability assessments and
emergency response plans for
many water systems. Contact
the EPA and your state's
drinking water program to
learn about national and
state security requirements
and guidance.
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Will your school help to educate our future
leaden about drinkin? water touei?
I oday's students become tomorrow's leaders. Knowledge
of drinking water issues is becoming increasingly important
in New England. Many residents in New England operate
their own private well and do not understand how their
own practices can directly affect
their drinking water quality
and health. Schools provide
an important foundation to
help students understand the
importance and complexity
of these issues.
Early science
classes demon-
strating the wa-
ter cycle, math-
ematics classes
demonstrating
supply and demand
principles, and history
lessons discussing early
settlement patterns near water sources and our nation's system
of government, laws and regulations provide important knowledge
for water resource decision-making.
Qf Demonstrate drinkin? water concepts through
classroom activities.
Classroom resources that demonstrate water concepts
through a variety of subjects are available from many organiza-
tions. One place to start is EPA New England's website for
teachers (www.epa.gov/region01/schoolsA.
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Drinking Water Contacts and
Information for New England Schools
Contacts For Further assistance:
c
i ontact your state drinking water program or the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) New England Office if
you have questions about providing safe drinking water at your
school. State drinking water programs can describe state-specific
requirements and provide additional guidance materials for schools.
State Rural Water Associations (see below) are also available to
provide technical assistance to schools that operate their own
drinking water supply.
^ EPA New England
Drinking Water Program
Phone: (888)372-7341
Website: http://www.epa.gov/ne/topics/water/
dwd.html
^ CT Department of Public Health
Drinking Water Division
Phone: (860) 509-7333
Website: www.dph.state.ct.us/BRS/water/dwd.htm
^ ME Department of Human Services
Drinking Water Program
Phone: (207) 287-2070
Website: http://www.medwp.com
^ MA Department of
Environmental Protection
Division of Water Supply
Phone: (617) 292-5770
Website: http://
www.state.ma.us/dep/
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NH Department of
Environmental Services
Water Supply Engineering Bureau Phone: (603) 271-4071
Website: http://www.des.state.nh.us/wseb/
Rhode Island Department of Health
Office of Drinking Water Quality
Phone:(401)222-6867
Website: http://www.healthri.org/environment/dwq/Home.htm
VT Department of Environmental Conservation
Water Supply Division
Phone:(802)241-3400
Website: http://www.vermontdrinkingwater.org
Atlantic States Rural Water Association (CT/RI)
c/o Maine Rural Water Association
Phone: (860)889-6373
Website: http://www.asrwwa.org/
Maine Rural Water Association
Phone: 207-729-6569
Website: http://www.mainerwa.org
Northeast Rural Water Association (MA/NH/VT)
Phone: (800) 556-3792
Website: http://www.neruralwater.org
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Informational Resources
for New England Schools
he EPA offers many resources for the protection and conservation of
drinking water at schools. State drinking water and related environmental
programs also have guidance and should be contacted for further informa-
tion. The following list of resources is intended as a starting point for schools
and does not attempt to include all resources available.
^ Safe Drinking Water Hotline (EPA)
Provides answers to questions and guidance on drinking water issues.
Phone:(800)426-4791
Source Water Protection Best Management Practices
Bulletins (EPA)
Tips for protecting drinking water sources from contamination
from many common land activities. Bulletins address several topics
including: storm water runoff, septic systems, underground and above
ground storage tanks, fertilizer and pesticide use, vehicle washing, small
quantity chemical use, and roadway deicing.
Contact: Mary Jo Feuerbach at (617)918-1578 or
feuerbach.maryjo(@,epa.gov
Also at: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/protect/swpbmp.html
Ground Water Discharge (Underground Injection Control)
Program (EPA)
Regulates discharges to the ground via floor drains, septic systems.
disposal wells and other means. In New England, State Underground
Injection Control Programs take the lead in regulating these activities.
Contact: David Delaney at (617)918-1614 or
delaney.david@,epa. gov for state contacts.
Also at: http://www.epa.gov/ne/eco/drinkwater/
[go to Preventing Contamination...ground water discharges
(underground inj ection control program) for a list of state contacts].
^ Healthy School Environments Web Portal (EPA)
http://www.epa.gov/schools
The Healthy School Environments Web Pages are intended to
serve as a gateway to on-line resources to help school staff and
administration and others adress environmental health issues in schools.
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Environmental Management in Schools (EPA)
Assistance to schools in addressing the range of environmental issues
that schools face.
Contact: Joan Jouzaitis at (617)918-1846 or
jouzaitis.joan(@,epa.gov or
Lee Fiske at (617)918-1847 or
fiske.lee@,epa. gov
Also at: http://www.epa.gov/regionOI/schools
Chemical Management in Schools (EPA)
Provides training in chemical purchasing, use, storage, and management.
Contact: Lee Fiske at (617)918-1847 or
fiske.lee@,epa. gov
Also at: http://www.epa. gov/ne/assistance/neeat/index.html
Integrated Pest Management at Schools (EPA)
Resources, factsheets, and toolkits are available to reduce pesticide
use at schools.
Contact: Robert Koethe at (617)918-1535 or
koethe.robert(@,epa.gov
Also at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ipm/
Lead in Drinking Water in Schools and Non-Residential
Buildings (EPA)
Document describes how drinking water in schools and non-
residential buildings can be tested for lead and how contamination
problems can be corrected if found.
Contact: Mary Dever at (617)918-1717 or
dever.mary (@,epa. gov
Also at: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/consumer/leadinschools.html
USEPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
Website (EPA)
Includes an overview of drinking water issues and regulation
of drinking water supplies. Includes information about local drinking
water quality, source protection, drinking water standards, public
water systems, and underground injection control. Numerous
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documents related to drinking water protection, lead in drinking water.
conservation, security and classroom education are available.
Go to: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/
WAVE Program (EPA)
Provides software and assistance for conserving water at schools.
Contact: Barbara McGonagle at (617)918-1608 or
me gonagle .barbara(@,epa. gov
Also at: http://www.epa.gov/owm/water-efficiency/
Top 10 List for Drinking Water Security and Emergency
Preparedness (EPA)
Provides tips to enhance security of small ground water systems.
Contact: MaryJo Feuerbach at (617)918-1578 or
feuerbach.maryjo(@,epa.gov
Also at: http://www.epa. gov/ne/eco/drinkwater/ (go to Drinking
Water Security page)
Security Vulnerability Self Assessment Guide for Small
Drinking Water Systems (Association of State Drinking Water
Administrators in coordination with National Rural Water Association)
Guidance is available for small systems, such as schools, to complete a
security vulnerability assessment of their drinking water system.
Contact: Association of State Drinking Water Administrators at:
http://www.asdwa.org
That Magnificent Ground Water Connection (New England
Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission in coordination with EPA)
Classroom activities for students demonstrating the many
characteristics, uses and threats to ground water resources in
New England. Available for grades K-6 and 7-12.
Contact: Denise Springborg at (978)323-7929
Selected activities also at: http://www.epa.gov/ne/students/
teacher/gndwater. html
General Teacher Resources for New England from EPA
Includes many available resources for school teachers including a
pen pal program for students, curricula, grants, classroom speaker's
bureau and more.
Contact: Kristen Conroy at (617)918-1069 or
conroy.kristen(@,epa. gov
Also at: http://www.epa.gov/ne/education/index.html
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Contact Notes
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Follow-up Actions
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency New England
1 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02114
www.epa.gov/ne
EPA-901-F-03001
May 2003
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