Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How have the communications been to families about getting their kids tested and generally keeping them informed about what's going on?

As someone who lived through the lead water issue a few years back and had an extremely high number in the home with small kids living there full time -- your child should have had a blood test at their physical (mandated by DC law). Even with our elevated number the kids were fine.

Yeah, tell that to the families in Flint, MI.

The blood lead test gives an immediate estimate of the level of your recent exposure to lead. This test will tell you how much lead is in your bloodstream, but not what is stored in your soft tissues or bones. The test will not tell you your body burden of lead or the damage, if any, that has occurred.

That's why we did bone core samples on our kids. Knowing is half the battle.

What does a bone core sample entail??

As I understand it, the city has been testing annually for lead in water, but this is the first time they have ever communicated the results to families. So your child could have been exposed year after year and you wouldn't have known about it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How have the communications been to families about getting their kids tested and generally keeping them informed about what's going on?

As someone who lived through the lead water issue a few years back and had an extremely high number in the home with small kids living there full time -- your child should have had a blood test at their physical (mandated by DC law). Even with our elevated number the kids were fine.

Yeah, tell that to the families in Flint, MI.

The blood lead test gives an immediate estimate of the level of your recent exposure to lead. This test will tell you how much lead is in your bloodstream, but not what is stored in your soft tissues or bones. The test will not tell you your body burden of lead or the damage, if any, that has occurred.

That's why we did bone core samples on our kids. Knowing is half the battle.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How have the communications been to families about getting their kids tested and generally keeping them informed about what's going on?

As someone who lived through the lead water issue a few years back and had an extremely high number in the home with small kids living there full time -- your child should have had a blood test at their physical (mandated by DC law). Even with our elevated number the kids were fine.

Yeah, tell that to the families in Flint, MI.

The blood lead test gives an immediate estimate of the level of your recent exposure to lead. This test will tell you how much lead is in your bloodstream, but not what is stored in your soft tissues or bones. The test will not tell you your body burden of lead or the damage, if any, that has occurred.

Anonymous wrote:DGS says that kitchens are tested. Is the information on their site incorrect?

http://dgs.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dgs/publication/attachments/Water%20Sampling%20Results%20for%20DC%20Public%20Schools%20Frequently%20Asked%20Questions.pdf

The results aren't shown in the reports they have posted, if they do test them.

DGS says that kitchens are tested. Is the information on their site incorrect?

http://dgs.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dgs/publication/attachments/Water%20Sampling%20Results%20for%20DC%20Public%20Schools%20Frequently%20Asked%20Questions.pdf

Yes, we are at a bill school that tested for elevated levels this year and were told for the first time they are going to now test the kitchen sinks and sinks where children are likely to fill up water bottles. Among many issues at our school, the test was six months late.

I am a parent at Marie Reed. We did receive a letter about this issue. I'm not a chemist, but my understanding is thattwo drinking fountain s tested at the DGS limit of 15 ppb and one tested above the limit at 18 ppb. The latter now has a filter, and the other two are currently off. All of these levels are still below the EPA limit of 20 ppb.

I am less concerned about the fountains than I am about the fact that DCPS apparently hasn't tested kitchen sinks at any school. They are changing that policy, and we have been told we will have results on that this month at our school.