SoWashCo Schools is committed to providing a safe environment for students, staff, and the community. As part of this commitment, the district tests all drinking and cooking water sources for the concentration of lead every five years. This follows the Minnesota Department of Health’s requirements for water testing in schools. Roughly one-fifth of the district buildings are tested each year, creating a five-year rotation.
A new state mandate requires school districts to use 5 parts-per-billion for concentration of lead as the action level for any water testing starting July 1st, 2024. The water testing conducted in March of 2024 for the 2023-24 school year followed these new requirements and the district will continue to test following all state requirements going forward. Prior to the new mandate, the district followed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) recommended action level of 20 parts-per-billion.
Results and actions for the testing can be found on our website. If you have any questions regarding the testing you may contact Wendy German, Health and Safety, at wgerman@sowashco.org