The District 31 CEC invited representatives from the Department of Education's operations division to explain water testing protocols to parents at a meeting in New Dorp Monday night. The school facilities director says initially 509 schools tested positive with elevated levels of lead. Then steps were taken to replace many faucets, water fountains and pipes. On the second round 120 tested positive. Right now, pipes are being flushed on a regular basis to decrease the levels of lead.
"They're going to flush them and they flush them Sunday night into Monday so that the lead levels aren't high because the standing water is the issue," said CEC District 31 President Michael Reilly.
The director says they are continuing to test the schools regularly and more pipes will be replaced if necessary.