Rolla Public Schools

Get the Lead out of School - Drinking Water Act Notification

In 2022, the Missouri legislature passed the Get the Lead out of School Drinking Water Act (RSMo 160.077), which sets standards for lead concentrations in school drinking water. The law requires schools to conduct inventory, sampling, remediation, and monitoring at all potable drinking water outlets used or potentially used for drinking, food preparation, and cooking or cleaning utensils. The deadline under the law is August of 2024, and testing at Rolla Public Schools will be in the late fall of 2023.

Under the law, results are communicated directly with families within 7 days (via the email they have on file). Results are also required to be posted on the district website and reported to the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). DHSS is currently developing reporting methods and procedures.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently has a lead drinking water standard limit of 15 micrograms per liter (ug/L) of lead in water. However, Missouri law requires that all Missouri schools achieve a 5 ug/L limit of lead in water.

Results will be posted on this page once they are available. Please contact Dr. Monica Fulton, Assistant Superintendent, at 573-458-0100 with any questions about this information.

Rolla Public Schools Get the Lead Out Testing Results
While the law specifies that all preschool through 12th-grade schools that receive state funding have until August 1, 2024, to complete testing at all drinking water outlets and food preparation outlets, we acted promptly, in accordance with our commitment to protecting our community, and tested each outlet to ensure we could immediately initiate remedial measures as needed.

From December 21, 2023, to January 7, 2024, each of our buildings had its water outlets of possible drinking and food preparation water tested, including ice machines.

Upon receiving the results at the end of last week, each of these water sources was taken out of service by our district facilities team. At this time, we have already begun working with an outside company to remediate each source needing attention. Prior to being used again, water from each source will be tested to ensure the issue has been resolved. We will communicate additional results after testing takes place.

Please know the safety and health of our students and staff is our highest priority and we will work diligently to rectify every source that is out of compliance. In the meantime, all students and staff will continue to have access to a variety of water outlets that have met compliance, throughout the school.

If you have questions about a lead sample result at a specific outlet and actions taken, or if you have concerns, please email mfulton@rolla31.org.

If you have questions regarding the health of your child or for additional information regarding lead testing, please contact your primary healthcare provider or the Phelps County Health Department at 573-458-6010.

Test results by building are listed below as we receive them:

Mark Twain Elementary - Results Received 1/17/24

Rolla Technical Center - Results Received 1/17/24

Rolla Technical Institute - Results Received 1/17/24

Truman Elementary - Results Received 1/18/24

Wyman Elementary - Results Received 2/2/24

Rolla Middle School - Results Received 1/24/24

Rolla Junior High School - Results Received 1/26/24

Rolla High School - Results Received 2/2/24