On Sept. 6, 2016, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a new law that requires public schools in New York to test ALL water outlets currently or potentially used for drinking or cooking purposes for lead levels. The new law makes New York the first state in the nation to require all of its public schools to conduct lead testing on all sources of potable water.
In accordance with the law, the district conducted water testing at all buildings with the assistance of a state-approved laboratory. Sampling of water outlets at all five elementary schools was completed in September. These samples were tested for lead and results were received in mid-October.
Sampling of water outlets at the middle school and high school was completed in October. Testing results in those locations were returned mid-November into December. In all, Bethlehem was required to test 986 water outlets throughout the district.
In accordance with the new law, if the lead level from a water outlet exceeds the state’s action level of 15 parts per billion, the district will take immediate action. The state’s regulations require that all such outlets be taken offline, or otherwise restricted, until a remediation plan is implemented and further testing indicates that lead levels are below the action level. At that time, the identified outlets will be put back in service.
At all times, the district will ensure that all students and staff have an adequate supply of water for drinking and cooking.
The school district will notify staff, and all parents and guardians, of the results of these tests.
For more information on New York’s new water testing law, view or download a fact sheet here.
For specific questions related to Bethlehem Central’s water testing, please contact Gregg Nolte at gnolte@bcsd.neric.org.
View all results for each school below.
Slingerlands Elementary School
Elsmere Elementary School
Hamagrael Elementary School
Eagle Elementary School
Glenmont Elementary School
Bethlehem Central High School
Bethlehem Central Middle School
Test Results
Slingerlands Elementary School
Water test results for Slingerlands were received by school officials on Oct. 11, 2016 and the district took immediate action.
Of the 107 samples drawn throughout Slingerlands, eight locations showed elevated lead levels of over 15 parts per billion (ppb), as summarized below:
- Sink in Room A (Ms. Platek’s music room) had an action level of 18 ppb
- Sink in Room 2 (Ms. Fitzpatrick’s room) had an action level of 23 ppb
- Sink in Room 45 (Ms. Gough’s ESL room) had an action level of 24 ppb
- Sink in bathroom in Room 19 (Ms. MacMillan’s room) had an action level of 28 ppb
- Sink in the gymnasium had an action level of 18 ppb
- Sink in the library office had an action level of 26 ppb
- Sink in Room 1A (Teacher Workroom) had an action level of 40 ppb
- Dishwasher Sprayer in the Kitchen had an action level of 18 ppb
View full water testing results from Slingerlands Elementary School. [PDF]
All affected sources of water have been immediately taken out of service. In the meantime, students and staff will be asked to use alternate sinks for hand washing as repairs are made to the affected sources. The new sources will be tested and confirmed to be below the state’s action level prior to returning them to active service.
Please contact Principal Heidi Bonacquist at hbonacquist@bcsd.neric.org if you have any questions
Elsmere Elementary School
Water test results for Elsmere were received by school officials on Oct. 13, 2016 and the district took immediate action.
Of the 69 samples drawn throughout Elsmere, three locations showed elevated lead levels of over 15 parts per billion (ppb), as summarized below:
- Sink in Room 35 (Mrs. Peter’s math room) had an action level of 22 ppb
- Sink in bathroom in Room 3 (Mrs. Barcomb’s room) had an action level of 24 ppb
- Hallway water fountain (in front wing near wheelchair-accessible entrance) had an action level of 22 ppb
View full water testing results from Elsmere Elementary School [PDF].
All affected sources of water have been immediately taken out of service. In the meantime, students and staff will be asked to use alternate sinks for hand washing and will be directed to near by drinking fountains as repairs are made to the affected sources. The new sources will be tested and confirmed to be below the state’s action level prior to returning them to active service.
Please contact Principal Kate Kloss at kkloss@bcsd.neric.org if you have any questions
Hamagrael Elementary School
Water test results for Hamagrael were received by school officials on Oct. 19, 2016 and the district took immediate action.
Of the 77 samples drawn throughout Hamagrael, nine locations showed elevated lead levels of over 15 parts per billion (ppb), as summarized below:
- Bathroom sink in kitchen had an action level of 16 ppb
- Sink in Room 13 (Mrs. Sirianni’s room) had an action level of 18 ppb
- Sink in Room 19 (Mrs. Salmonsen’s room) had an action level of 19 ppb
- Sink in Room 5 (Unused Room) had an action level of 20 ppb
- Bathroom sink in Room 5 (Unused Room) had an action level of 34 ppb
- Sink in Multi-Purpose Room (Ms. Wismont’s room) had an action level of 21 ppb
- Sink in Art Room (Ms. Fortin’s room) had an action level of 21 ppb
- Drinking fountain in Room 20 (Mrs. Meyer’s RTI room) had an action level of 22 ppb
- Sink in Instrumental Music Room (Ms. Vitale’s room) had an action level of 32 ppb
View full water testing results from Hamagrael Elementary School. [PDF]
All affected sources of water have been immediately taken out of service. In the meantime, students and staff will be directed to nearby sources of drinking water and asked to use alternate sinks for hand washing as repairs are made to the affected sources. The new sources will be tested and confirmed to be below the state’s action level prior to returning them to active service.
Please contact Principal Dave Ksanznak at dksanznak@bcsd.neric.org if you have any questions.
Eagle Elementary School
Water test results for Eagle were received by school officials on Oct. 19, 2016 and the district took immediate action.
Of the 74 samples drawn throughout the building, two locations showed elevated lead levels of more than 15 parts per billion (ppb). The locations are two of the five sinks in the school’s kitchen. One sink had an action level of 34 ppb; the other sink had an action level of 49 ppb.
View full water testing results from Eagle Elementary School. [PDF]
Both sinks have been taken out of service. In the meantime, staff will be asked to use alternate sinks in the kitchen as repairs are made and further testing is conducted on the affected water outlets. These outlets will be tested and confirmed to be below the state’s action level before returning them to active service.
Please contact Principal Dianna Reagan at dreagan@bcsd.neric.org if you have any questions.
Glenmont Elementary School
Some water test results for Glenmont were received by school officials on Oct. 20, 2016 and the district took immediate action. Due to a shortage of sample bottles, testing at Glenmont was completed on two separate occasions. The first round of results are shown below.
Of the 59 samples drawn throughout the building during the first round of testing, three locations showed elevated lead levels of more than 15 parts per billion (ppb), in locations summarized below:
- Bathroom sink in the kitchen had an action level of 18 ppb
- Kitchen (sink #4) had an action level of 140 ppb
- Room 10 – Mrs. Brands (Water Fountain) had an action level of 24 ppb
View first round of water testing results from Glenmont Elementary School. [PDF]
The second round of results were received by school officials on Nov. 1, 2016 and is shown below.
Of the 31 additional samples drawn throughout the building, one location showed elevated lead levels of over 15 parts per billion (ppb). The location is the bathroom sink in room 17 (Mrs. Ganley’s classroom) had an action level of 30 ppb.
View second round of water testing results from Glenmont Elementary School. [PDF]
Please contact Principal Laura Heffernan at lheffernan@bcsd.neric.org if you have any questions.
Bethlehem Central High School
Water test results for Bethlehem Central High School were received by school officials on Nov. 17, 2016 and the district took immediate action.
Of the 377 samples drawn throughout the building, 37 locations showed elevated lead levels of over 15 parts per billion (ppb), as summarized below:
- Classroom sink #1 in room A106 had an action level of 23.7 ppb
- Science room sink #3 in room A107 had an action level of 30.4 ppb
- Science room sink #4 in room A107 had an action level of 17.8 ppb
- Science room sink #3 in room A109 had an action level of 16.6 ppb
- Science room sink #4 in room A109 had an action level of 62.9 ppb
- Science prep-room (faculty only) sink #1 in room A109 had an action level of 22.3 ppb
- Science Prep-room (faculty only) Sink #1 in room A110 had an action level of 30.5 ppb
- Science room sink #2 in room B106 had an action level of 16.5 ppb
- Science room sink #3 in room B106 had an action level of 59.1 ppb
- Science prep-room (faculty only) sink #1 in B106 had an action level of 184 ppb
- Science room sink #1 in room B108 had an action level of 15.7 ppb
- Science room sink #3 in room B108 had an action level of 42.9 ppb
- Sink #1 in B-Wing women’s bathroom had an action level of 64 ppb
- Sink #2 in B-Wing women’s bathroom had an action level of 69.8 ppb
- Sink #3 in B-Wing women’s bathroom had an action level of 62.7 ppb
- Sink #1 in men’s bathroom had an action level of 20.9 ppb
- Sink #2 in men’s bathroom had an action level of 44.8 ppb
- Science room sink faucet #13 in room C105 had an action level of 21.7 ppb
- Science room sink faucet #13 in room C107 had an action level of 36 ppb
- Science prep-room (faculty only) sink #1 in room C114 had an action level of 26 ppb
- Science prep-room (faculty only) sink #2 in room C114 had an action level of 23.9 ppb
- Art room sink #3 in room D125 had an action level of 22 ppb
- Science room prep-room sink #1 in room E107 had an action level of 21.9 ppb
- Science room sink faucet #14 in room E204 had an action level of 20.4 ppb
- Science room sink faucet #17 in room E204 had an action level of 21.5 ppb
- Science room sink faucet #20 in room E204 had an action level of 16.5 ppb
- Science room sink faucet # 23 in room E204 had an action level of 16.4 ppb
- Science room sink faucet #8 in room E206 had an action level of 20.4 ppb
- Sink #4 in F-wing boys bathroom had an action level of 24 ppb
- Sink #3 in F-wing boys bathroom had an action level of 34.5 ppb
- Drinking fountain #1 in F-wing had an action level of 17.2 ppb
- Drinking fountain #2 in F-wing had an action level of 17.3 ppb
- STEM room sink in room F104 had an action level of 70.6 ppb
- Wood shop room sink #1 in room F107 had an action level of 18.2 ppb
- Main office storage room sink in room G132 had an action level of 87.8 ppb
- Sink #1 in girls locker room office had an action level of 17.4 ppb
- Bathroom sink #1 in girls team room office had an action level of 95.2 ppb
View full water testing results from Bethlehem Central High School – Part 1 [PDF]
View full water testing results from Bethlehem Central High School – Part 2 [PDF]
All affected sources of water are being taken out of service. Students and staff will be asked to use alternate sinks for hand washing and will be directed to nearby drinking fountains as repairs are made and further testing is conducted on the affected water outlets. These outlets will be tested and confirmed to be below the state’s action level before returning them to active service.
Please contact Principal Mike Klugman at mklugman@bcsd.neric.org if you have any questions.
Bethlehem Central Middle School
Water test results for Bethlehem Central Middle School were received by school officials on Dec. 6, 2016 and the district took immediate action.
Of the 181 samples drawn throughout the building, six locations showed elevated lead levels of over 15 parts per billion (ppb), as summarized below:
- Bathroom sink #1 in restroom 077 had an action level of 15.1 ppb
- Bathroom sink #2 restroom 077 had an action level of 30.4 ppb
- Sink faucet #6 in room 145 had an action level of 15.3 ppb
- Sink in paper storage room had an action level of 16.6 ppb
- Sink faucet #6 in room 143 had an action level of 19.2 ppb
- Science room sink in room 041 had an action level of 156 ppb
View water testing results from Bethlehem Central Middle School [PDF]
All affected sources of water are being taken out of service. Students and staff will be asked to use alternate sinks as repairs are made and further testing is conducted on the affected water outlets. These outlets will be tested and confirmed to be below the state’s action level before returning them to active service.
Please contact Interim Principal Dave Doemel at ddoemel@bcsd.neroic.org if you have any questions.