High Levels of Lead Found at Bridgehampton School

Update, Oct. 19: Late Tuesday evening, the Bridgehampton School District removed from its website its initial statement saying its water test results were within normal limits.

Originally, Oct. 18: The Bridgehampton School has removed a drinking fountain in the boys locker room and replaced faucets in four science laboratory sinks after water tests over the summer came back with lead content results higher than state-allowed limits, according to a report released last week by the school district.

New York State regulations allow lead readings of up to 15 parts per billion, but the Bridgehampton School's report showed the locker room water fountain tested at 66 parts per billion, and the four chemistry lab sinks ranged from 24 to 97 parts per billion.

Although the report showed that cleanup efforts were required, the district posted the report online along with the statement, "District test results are within normal limits."

"We really meant to say, in the black bold letters on the link, that at the school right now, the district results on any one of these potable water supplies is within the limits," Robert Hauser, the district's assistant superintendent for finance and facilities, said on Tuesday. "Right now, we comply with the law the way it's written, and all of the locations are within the limits."

Mr. Hauser said the district also removed a water fountain in the girls locker room that had not been working anyway, "just for consistency," and said there are no plans to replace that fountain or the one in the boys locker room. He added that the four new faucets in the chemistry lab sinks have since tested within normal limits for lead content.

Recognizing that lead is extremely harmful to children, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed legislation on Sept. 6 requiring schools to periodically test their water supplies for its presence. The law also requires schools to inform their communities of the water test results, and specifically requires districts that have websites to post the results there.

Last week, the Amagansett School shut off a water fountain and placed "hand-washing only" signs at six sinks after testing found elevated levels of lead in those fixtures.