Houston Independent School District (HISD) is committed to protecting the health and wellbeing of students and staff. To protect our community, HISD has voluntarily partnered with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to test for lead in drinking water at all HISD campuses.

Although there is no federal law requiring testing for drinking water in schools, except for schools that have their own water supply, HISD is committed to reducing lead in drinking water at all HISD campuses.

Starting with early childhood centers and elementary schools, all outlets used for drinking water will be tested, including fountains and kitchen sinks used for food preparation.

Remedial measures will be initiated for any drinking water outlet with a result greater than 15 parts per billion (ppb), a commonly recognized threshold level established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for lead in drinking water.

Remedial action may include removing the outlet from service, replacing the outlet, converting an outlet to a hand-wash-only station, plumbing updates, and / or adding filters to filter out any unwanted chemicals.

To help keep lead levels in drinking water low at schools and at home, follow routine maintenance practices listed below:

• “Running” water by running the cold tap for a few minutes before drinking, especially after periods where the water has not been used, such as first thing in the morning. Running decreases the time water is in contact with plumbing and plumbing fixtures that may contain lead.
• Use only cold water for drinking and food/beverage preparation. Hot water may increase the amount of lead transferred from the pipes or faucet. Boiling water does not remove lead.
• Discouraging drinking water from fixtures not intended for potable use (e.g. lab faucets, hoses, spigots, hand washing sinks).
• Using filters certified to remove lead by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) or the Water Quality Association (WQA).

A full list of results is available on TCEQ’s LTSCC Program webpage at texasleadtesting.org. For more information about the LTSCC Program, you can visit the program webpage, email info@txleadtesting.org or call the helpline at (737) 276-1987.