High lead levels found in California school district’s drinking water

OAKLAND, Calif. (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - Parents and teachers are angry over elevated lead levels in drinking water at Oakland schools as there is a growing controversy over lead levels found in the drinking water at several Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) schools.

Students and staff were drinking water from the fountains at Frick United Academy of Languages and other schools throughout the summer school sessions.

Now, their concerned about the impact of lead consumption, which includes learning difficulties, blood disorders and behavioral problems.

A basic need is now deemed unsafe at 22 schools throughout the OUSD system.

"I have [in my hand is] a report released in April," said Stuart Loebl, a sixth grade teacher at Frick.

Loebl says he's outraged and heartbroken by the results from the enviornmental testing, especially because it was done months ago.

"So students have been drinking lead water this whole time, obviously before the report was released, but since as well, which is infuriating," Loebl expressed.

Loebl says one water fountain had lead levels of 51 parts per billion. OUSD's maximum acceptable amout of lead is just five parts per billion. The Enviornmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends remediation if levels exceed 15.

"It will be really difficult for them to know exactly what the impact is. Figuring that out will be a decades long process potentially and it's horrible," Loebl remarked.

The water fountains at Frick have been covered to prevent more exposure.

Nate Landry's daughter is in the sixth grade at Edna Brewer Middle School, one of the other schools with elevated lead levels.

"[Students, their families and staff] should be able to come to school and expect safe drinking water," Landry said.

Landry believes the district may need to reevaluate how they are spending money so they can best serve the students.

"$60 million in facilities bond money to a new central office. It just so happens that we were quoted $60 million would be the estimated price for remediating the lead contamient situation in the district," Landry added.

A teacher from United for Success Academy says there has been a lead crisis at that school for a number of years. Photos from the school show that their water fountains were still uncovered and functional on Saturday.

Loebl says the district needs to shutdown all drinking fountains, fix the issue, and prevent it from ever happening again.

"We need a very comprehensive plan for testing going forward that does not just spot test," Loebl said.

More testing is being done on the drinking water at schools throughout the district, the number of schools impacted by elevated lead levels could still increase.