Dear School Community,

As a follow up to our May 4, 2016 letter on water testing in our schools, I would like to share the latest update. Additional tests were conducted on the 14 water sources that were previously found to require attention. As a result, 11 of the 14 water sources can be corrected by simply replacing the sink or fountain outlet. These replacements already are underway, and I expect them to be completed within several weeks.

For the remaining two fountains, the following actions will take place:

·      The New Brunswick Middle School stage fountain is unnecessary and will be removed entirely.

·      The McKinley Community School hall fountain and its attached piping will be removed and replaced with new materials.

We are still determining the proper method of remediation for the sink at Redshaw Elementary School.  

Click here for a full listing of the remediation recommendations by location.

In our previous letter, I mentioned that all 14 of the water sources in question were immediately turned off and students are not exposed to these water sources.

As a reminder, there are several things that all families should do at home to help ensure that water is safe for consumption:

Consider allowing a faucet to run for 10 to 15 seconds before drinking or using water for cooking, particularly those residents who live in older buildings with dated pipes. This is appropriate because water that has been sitting in pipes can have elevated levels of lead. Since hot or even warm water can have higher lead levels, only consume cold water from a tap.

To help you remember these valuable tips, please note this helpful infographic. (SEE LINK). As always, our primary focus is the health of our students and their families, and we are committed to doing whatever is necessary to safeguard everyone’s health.

If you have any further questions on this matter, please contact Frank LoDolce, our district’s Director of Facility Design & Construction, at (732) 745‐5300, ext. 5389.

(Click here for full second lead test report)

Aubrey Johnson

Superintendent of Schools