Se detectaron rastros de plomo en el agua en 24 escuelas del MSCS

(LPL/WMC) – Las pruebas de agua con plomo realizadas recientemente por las Escuelas del Condado de Memphis-Shelby (MSCS) revelaron niveles elevados de plomo en 27 fuentes de agua individuales en 24 escuelas, según funcionarios del MSCS.

Los padres de los alumnos fueron notificados de cada una de estas escuelas sobre los hallazgos, según lo exige el estado.

El superintendente interino del MSCS, Dr. Roderick Richmond, declaró a los medios locales el pasado lunes, el primer día del nuevo año escolar, que algunas escuelas han confirmado rastros de plomo, aunque no pudo indicar el número ni los nombres de los afectados en ese momento.

Una lista proporcionada por el distrito el miércoles incluye un total de 24 escuelas donde las pruebas de agua recientes mostraron niveles de plomo que superan el umbral estándar. En algunos de los campus mencionados, solo sus estadios deportivos dieron positivo.

Las escuelas fueron: Bellevue, Geeter Middle School, Northwest Preparatory Academy in Macon, Sheffield Career and Technical Center, Bolton High School Stadium, Georgian Hills Elementary School, Oak Forest Elementary School, Sheffield Elementary School, Central High School, Germantown High School Stadium, Peabody Elementary School, Southwest Career and Technical School, Cromwell Elementary School, Invictus Academy at Airways, Raleigh-Bartlett Meadows Elementary School, Treadwell Middle School, Middle College, Jackson Elementary School, Raleigh Egypt High School, White Station High School, Ford Road Elementary School, Kingsbury Middle School, Raleigh Egypt Middle School y Whitehaven STEM Elementary School.

El Dr. Richmond declaró que el envejecimiento de la infraestructura del distrito es uno de los muchos desafíos que pretende abordar en el nuevo año escolar.
“Tenemos que informar a los padres si hay algún rastro, pero hemos cortado esas fuentes de agua”, dijo en esa entrevista. También contamos con agua embotellada y máquinas de filtrado de agua en todas nuestras escuelas, así que los padres no tienen por qué alarmarse. De nuevo, es nuestra obligación dar esta información”.

Según la ley estatal, MSCS debe realizar análisis de plomo en todas las escuelas construidas antes de 1998 cada dos años.

El estado sigue la “Regla de Plomo y Cobre”, que exige que los sistemas públicos de agua tomen medidas y realicen más análisis si las cantidades de plomo superan las 15 partes por mil millones (ppb).

El distrito recibió los resultados de las pruebas la semana pasada, que mostraron que dos docenas de escuelas dieron positivo en al menos 20 ppb de plomo.

English:

Traces of lead were detected in the water at 24 MSCS schools

(LPL/WMC) – Recent lead water testing conducted by Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) revealed elevated lead levels in 27 individual water sources at 24 schools, according to MSCS officials.

Parents of students at each of these schools were notified of the findings, as required by the state.

MSCS Interim Superintendent Dr. Roderick Richmond told local media on Monday, the first day of the new school year, that some schools have confirmed traces of lead, although he could not provide the number or names of those affected at that time.

A list provided by the district on Wednesday includes a total of 24 schools where recent water testing showed lead levels above the standard threshold. At some of the campuses mentioned, only the athletic stadiums tested positive.

The schools were: Bellevue, Geeter Middle School, Northwest Preparatory Academy in Macon, Sheffield Career and Technical Center, Bolton High School Stadium, Georgian Hills Elementary School, Oak Forest Elementary School, Sheffield Elementary School, Central High School, Germantown High School Stadium, Peabody Elementary School, Southwest Career and Technical School, Cromwell Elementary School, Invictus Academy at Airways, Raleigh-Bartlett Meadows Elementary School, Treadwell Middle School, Middle College, Jackson Elementary School, Raleigh Egypt High School, White Station High School, Ford Road Elementary School, Kingsbury Middle School, Raleigh Egypt Middle School, and Whitehaven STEM Elementary School.

Dr. Richmond stated that the district’s aging infrastructure is one of the many challenges he intends to address in the new school year.
“We have to inform parents if there’s any trace, but we’ve cut off those water sources,” he said in that interview. We also have bottled water and water filtration machines in all our schools, so parents don’t need to be alarmed. Again, it’s our obligation to report this information.

Under state law, MSCS is required to conduct lead testing in all schools built before 1998 every two years.

The state follows the “Lead and Copper Rule,” which requires public water systems to take action and conduct further testing if lead levels exceed 15 parts per billion (ppb).

The district received test results last week, which showed two dozen schools tested positive for at least 20 ppb of lead.