F.C. Updates Water Test Report

The City of Falls Church Public Information Office issued the following advisory this concerning its ongoing testing efforts to determine lead levels in the City-owned water system:

"Additional water samples at Fairfax County's Freedom Hill Elementary School, located at 1945 Lord Fairfax Dr., show lead levels below the EPA's action level for schools.

"Retests were taken at 14 locations and tested within the 20 parts per billion (ppb) action level for schools. The nurses' sink that initially had a lead level reading of 87 ppb was retested twice and resulted in lead levels that were below 15 ppb on its first and second draws.

"At J.E.B. Stuart High School, 25 locations were tested as a follow-up to the three original tests. Although every other location resulted in lead levels below EPA's action level for schools, the kitchen sink that initially had a lead level reading of 24 ppb also tested above the action level on the retest. The Fairfax County School System is dealing with that sink as an isolated issue and is working in consultation with Fairfax County and the State Health Department.

"To date, the City of Falls Church has tested and received 151 results from its residential water customers. With the exception of one residential water customer whose lead level reading was 49 ppb, the remaining test results show levels below 115 ppb. The City is currently working with the one homeowner to determine what steps towards resolving the high lead level reading in that home.

"Approximately 75 additional water sample kits were distributed last week and 166 more kits will be distributed to resident water customers requesting to have their water tested. The City will also test those multi-family residences that requested to have their water tested and will test 11 Falls Church City commercial day care centers and 37 Fairfax County commercial day care centers beginning the week of April 12 and will follow the same protocol that was used to test the schools."