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State begins to establish process for reimbursing schools for lead-related costs
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Local schools that spent money to test water and replace drinking fountains, water coolers and plumbing fixtures can get reimbursement from the state for those costs.
The website for the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission says the Lead Plumbing Fixture Replacement Assistance Grant Program that was created by legislation signed recently by Gov. John Kasich, sets aside $12 million for drinking-water-related costs incurred in schools built before 1990.
Schools can apply for up to $15,000 per school for sampling of fixtures and cost to replace fixtures if they are identified as being over the federal action level for lead, the website says. The program is open to traditional public schools, community schools, and charter schools.
The legislation is due to become law in September, but the Facilities Construction Commission expects guidelines to be provided in later this month. The Facilities Construction Commission advises schools to check the commission’s website for updates on how to apply.
Schools also will receive an email from the OFCC with a personalized link to access the lead-plumbing fixture-replacement assistance grants application system, where schools can enter information and appropriate documentation that provides evidence of sampling, testing and fixture replacement that has been completed since Jan. 1, 2016.
Several Mahoning Valley school districts reported elevated lead readings from water fountains and other fixtures this spring after the problem of lead in drinking water became a prominent health issue nationally after revelations of high lead levels in Flint, Mich., and Sebring.
Howland, Champion and LaBrae are among the school districts that reported finding elevated lead levels in school-building faucets and drinking fountains and reported plans to replace such fixtures.
LaBrae Superintendent A.J. Calderone said LaBrae is replacing three water fountains at the elementary school, which is about 60 years old. The district’s other buildings serving students in grades three through 12 were built in 2005.
Calderone said the district probably will spend about $2,000 to replace the drinking fountains.
Tim Saxton, director of operations for Boardman schools, said the district tested one water fountain on each floor of the district’s buildings and faucets used for food preparation.
None of them showed elevated lead levels. But because of the FCC program, Saxton said he plans to expand the testing to fountains that were not tested.
Howland Superintendent Kevin Spicher said this spring the district would replace a number of water fountains because many of them are old and possibly contributing to elevated lead levels found during testing this spring.
Howland’s four elementary schools were built in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and its high school was built in the 1940s, Spicher said.
Champion schools also found elevated lead levels in several of its buildings during springtime testing. A representative from Champion did not return a call for comment.
The Trumbull County Board of Health gave a presentation to county superintendents Feb. 4 urging officials to be proactive in testing their schools for lead in the water. LaBrae, Howland and Champion were among the districts that heeded that advice.