Grand Ledge elementary school to replace water faucets after lead detected

GRAND LEDGE – Lead in the drinking water at a Grand Ledge school has prompted officials to replace fixtures throughout the building.

Grand Ledge Public Schools Friday said maintenance staff started replacing drinking faucets and shutoff valves at Willow Ridge Elementary after testing found "slightly higher than recommended" levels of lead in the water, according to a press release. The district said an Aug. 20 water sample had 29 parts per billion of lead, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires action at levels above 15 parts per billion.

Bottled water will be available for students and staff at the school until new water tests come back clean, the school said. The school will replace more than 85 fixtures at Willow Ridge.

"This solution goes above and beyond what is suggested by the Barry-Eaton Health Department," the district said in a news release.

Eight faucets were tested at the school earlier last week, and two fixtures in classrooms came back with levels of lead, according to the district. Drinking faucets in hallways and kitchens came back clean, the school district said.

Willow Ridge Elementary is one of the school district's buildings that uses well water.

Contact reporter Craig Lyons at 517-377-1047 or calyons@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @craigalyons.