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| Lead in drinking         water        in schools and non-residential buildings 
 EPA 812-B-94-002        April 1994 

 The purpose of this manual is to demonstrate how drinking water in schools         and non-residential buildings can be tested for lead and how contamination         problems can be corrected if found. This manual is intended for use by         officials responsible for the maintenance and/or safety of these facilities.       

 Exposure to lead is a significant health concern, especially for young         children and infants whose growing bodies tend to absorb more lead than         the average adult. Pregnant women and fetuses are also vulnerable to lead         in addition to middle-aged men and women. 

 Drinking water represents one possible means of lead exposure. Some         drinking water pipes, taps, and other outlets (i.e., an apparatus dispensing         water) in homes and buildings may contain lead. The lead in such plumbing         may leach into water and pose a health risk. 

 The longer water remains in contact with leaded-plumbing, the more the         opportunity exists for lead to leach into water. As a result, facilities         with on again/off again water use patterns, such as schools and businesses,         may have elevated lead concentrations. 

 Even though water delivered from your community's public water supply         must meet Federal and State standards for lead, you may still end up with         too much lead in your drinking water because of the plumbing in your facility         and because of the building's water use patterns. The only way to be certain         that lead is not a problem in a particular home, school, or building is         to test various drinking water outlets (i.e., taps, bubblers, coolers,         etc.) for the substance. If lead problems are found, they can then be         corrected. 

 This manual is intended to aid you as the concerned school and non-residential         building official in determining whether your facility has a lead-in-drinking-water         problem. This manual is designed to provide you step-by-step instructions         for sampling your water for lead and correcting lead problems when found.         In addition, the manual provides background information concerning the         sources and health effects of lead, how lead gets into drinking water,         how lead in drinking water is regulated, and how to communicate lead issues         with users of your facility (e.g.. employees, students, concerned parents).       
**Editor's note:** This               scanned version of the publication (PDF files) is the best available               at this time. As resources allow, we will update or improve this               file. 
Complete Document         (4.1M PDF file) 
 Part 1 - Lead In Drinking Water Overview -  Section 1 - Background Information            (pages 3-11)              -  Health Effects of Lead: Why You Should Be Concerned 
  -  Distribution and Uses of Lead 
  -  How Lead Gets into Drinking Water 
  -  Factors Contributing to Corrosion 
  -  How Lead in Drinking Water Is Regulated 
-  Section 2 -Preliminary Assessment and           General Testing Strategy  (pages12-27)              -  Development of a Plumbing Profile 
  -  Development of a Sampling Plan 
-  Section 3- Two-Step Sampling Process             (pages 28-30)     -  Overview of the Two-Stop Sampling Process 
-  Section 4 - Remedies  (pages 31-44)              -  Routine Control Measures 
  -  Interim (or Short-Term) Control Measures 
  -  Permanent Remedies 
  -  Case Studies 
-  Section 5 - Public Education  (pages           45-50)              -  Mandatory Public Notice Requirements Under the LCCA 
  -  The Components of an Effective General Communication Strategy             
  -  Helpful Hints for Communication 
  -  Sample Public Notice Materials 
 Part 2 - Lead Testing Protocol -  Section 1 -General Procedures  (pages           50-51)              -  Laboratory Analysis and Handling of Sample Containers 
  -  Collection Procedures 
  -  Response Actions 
-  Section 2 - Initial and Follow-Up Sampling           by Outlet Type  (pages 52-83)  

Appendices
-  A-Directory of EPA and State Drinking Water Programs 
-  B- Glossary of Terms 
-  C-Water Cooler Summary 
-  D-List of Lead Resources 
-  E-Sample Recordkeeping Form 
-  F-Preservation of Samples and Sample Containers 
 You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the Adobe PDF files               on this page. See  EPA's PDF page               for more information about getting and using the free Acrobat Reader. |
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