Drinking Water Lead Testing Program
Providing Safe Drinking Water at All DMPS Schools
With more than 1,440 water samples tested, DMPS is working to maintain safe drinking water at all schools.
A top priority at Des Moines Public Schools is the safety and well-being of our students and staff.
With national attention and awareness about lead in drinking water, including reports of elevated levels of lead in school drinking water around the country, DMPS has taken steps to determine if this is an issue in Des Moines and to ensure safe drinking water in our schools.
In April 2016, DMPS began a program to monitor lead levels in school drinking water by working with both an outside testing laboratory as well as Des Moines Water Works.
This was the start of what will be regular testing of water in all school buildings.
This initiative began with an initial screening of all DMPS schools. The screening began with the collection of samples from hallway drinking fountains, kitchens, nurses’ offices, and selected classrooms throughout all of the district’s school buildings.
Following the initial building screening, sample results were evaluated to determine appropriate response actions.
If lead levels above 15 parts per billion (ppb) were found in any school building, the district implemented corrective actions to reduce lead from the building’s drinking water based upon steps recommended by health and environmental experts.
This included steps such as replacing equipment and regularly flushing drinking fountains or sinks. DMPS took corrective action based on initial testing data as well as the test results from follow-up samples.
As of September 2016, test results have been received and analyzed from more than 1,440 drinking water samples. At this time, no current test results exceed 15 ppb.
In order to maintain this high standard, DMPS is implementing a plan to regularly test the drinking water at all schools. While such testing is not required by law, DMPS is taking this action to further ensure a healthy environment in our schools.
Please refer to the sections below for testing information from each DMPS school building, the district’s lead in drinking water management plan, and links to additional information about lead and drinking water.
DMPS DRINKING WATER TEST RESULTS
For the results on a specific school, simply enter the school name in the search bar below:
| School Name | Address | Sampling Date | Fixtures Identified >15 ppb | Action Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGRICULTURE LABORATORY | 201 SW County Line Rd. | June 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| AVIATION LABORATORY | 201 County Line Rd. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| BRODY MIDDLE SCHOOL | 2501 Park Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| BRUBAKER ELEMENTARY | 2900 E 42nd St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| CALLANAN MIDDLE SCHOOL | 3010 Center St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| CAPITOL VIEW ELEMENTARY | 320 E 16th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| CARVER ELEMENTARY | 705 E University Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| CATTELL ELEMENTARY | 3101 E 12th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| CENTRAL ACADEMY | 1912 Grand Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| CENTRAL CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL *Results include other samples taken at 1800 Grand Ave. | 1800 Grand Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| CENTRAL NUTRITION CENTER | 1301 2nd Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| COWLES MONTESSORI | 6401 College Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| DEAN AVENUE OPERATIONS CENTER | 1917 Dean Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| DOWNTOWN SCHOOL | 1800 Grand Ave. | April 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| EAST HIGH SCHOOL | 815 E 13th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| EAST HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS FACILITY | 815 E 13th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| EDMUNDS ELEMENTARY | 950 15th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| FINDLEY ELEMENTARY | 3025 Oxford St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| FLEUR DRIVE ADMIN. | 2100 Fleur Dr. | April 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| GARTON ELEMENTARY | 2820 E 24th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| GOODRELL MIDDLE SCHOOL | 3300 E 29th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| GRAND AVENUE ADMIN. | 2323 Grand Ave. | August 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| GREENWOOD ELEMENTARY | 316 37th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| HANAWALT ELEMENTARY | 225 56th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| HARDING MIDDLE SCHOOL | 203 E Euclid Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| HIATT MIDDLE SCHOOL | 1430 E University Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| HILLIS ELEMENTARY | 2401 56th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| HOOVER HIGH SCHOOL | 4800 Aurora Ave. | April 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| HOOVER HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS | April 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. | |
| HOWE ELEMENTARY | 2900 Indianola Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| HOYT MIDDLE SCHOOL | 2700 E 42nd St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| HUBBELL ELEMENTARY | 800 42nd St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| JACKSON ELEMENTARY | 3825 Indianola Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY | 2425 Watrous Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| KING ELEMENTARY | 1849 Forest Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL | 2600 SW 9th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS FACILITY | 2600 SW 9th St. | June 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| LINCOLN RAILS | 1000 Porter Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| LINCOLN RAILS ATHLETICS FACILITY | 1000 Porter Ave. | June 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| LOVEJOY ELEMENTARY | 801 E Kenyon Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| MADISON ELEMENTARY | 806 E Hoffman St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| MANN EDUCATION CENTER | 1001 Amos Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| McCOMBS MIDDLE SCHOOL | 201 SW County Line Rd. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| MCKEE EDUCATION CENTER | 2116 E 39th Ct. | August 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| McKINLEY ELEMENTARY | 1610 SE 6th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| MEREDITH MIDDLE SCHOOL | 4827 Madison Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| MERRILL MIDDLE SCHOOL | 5301 Grand Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| MITCHELL EARLY LEARNING CENTER | 111 Porter Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| MONROE ELEMENTARY | 3015 Francis Ave. | August 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| MOORE ELEMENTARY | 3716 50th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| MORRIS ELEMENTARY | 1401 Geil Ave. | August 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| MOULTON ELEMENTARY | 1541 8th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | 501 Holcomb Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| NORTH HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS FACILITY | 501 Holcomb Ave. | April 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| OAK PARK ELEMENTARY | 3928 6th Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action require at this time |
| PARK AVENUE ELEMENTARY | 3141 SW 9th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| PERKINS ELEMENTARY | 4301 College Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| PHILLIPS ELEMENTARY | 1701 Lay St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| PLEASANT HILL ELEMENTARY | 4801 E Oakwood Dr. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| PROSPECT ROAD FACILITY | 1915 Prospect Rd. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| RIVER WOODS ELEMENTARY | 2929 SE 22nd St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL | 4419 Center St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| RUBY VAN METER SCHOOL | 710 28th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| SAMUELSON ELEMENTARY | 3929 Bel Aire Rd. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| SCAVO HIGH SCHOOL *Results include other samples taken at 1800 Grand Ave. | 1800 Grand Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| SMOUSE OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL | 2820 Center St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| SOUTH UNION ELEMENTARY | 4201 South Union St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| STOWE ELEMENTARY | 1411 E 33rd St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| STUDEBAKER ELEMENTARY | 300 E County Line Rd. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| TAYLOR EDUCATION CENTER | 1801 16th St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| WALKER STREET | 1421 Walker Street | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| WALNUT STREET SCHOOL | 901 Walnut St. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| WEEKS MIDDLE SCHOOL | 901 E Park Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| WILLARD ELEMENTARY | 2941 Dean Ave. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| WINDSOR ELEMENTARY | 5912 University Ave. | August 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| WOODLAWN EDUCATION CENTER | 4000 Lower Beaver Rd. | July 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
| WRIGHT ELEMENTARY | 5001 SW 14th St. | August 2016 | 0 | No further action required at this time. |
NOTE: Sampling data is available upon request.
DMPS LEAD TESTING PROTOCOL
Following guidelines established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and working closely with our partners at Des Moines Water Works, DMPS is following a strict protocol to test school drinking water for lead. A summary of the steps in the process include:
- Gather the initial sample and test results.
- All results less than 15 parts per billion (ppb): no further action is required until the next scheduled testing.
- At least one result more than 15 ppb: collect and test a second sample from locations with initial test results greater than 15 ppb.
- If results of the second sample are less than 15 ppb, implement corrective actions which may include, but not be limited to: fixture replacement; termination of service to a fixture; implementation of a fixture-flushing program; and completion of a full-building drinking water survey.
- If results of the second sample are still more than 15 ppb, implement corrective actions, collect follow-up sampling to confirm effectiveness of the measures taken and complete a full-building drinking water survey.
Click here to read about the DMPS Water Monitoring Action Plan.
ONGOING WATER MONITORING SCHEDULE
The ongoing monitoring schedule for DMPS schools and facilities is as follows:
- 2016-2017: 2323 Grand, Agricultural Lab, Brody, East High School Outdoor Athletics, Goodrell, Lincoln, Lincoln High Outdoor Athletics, Lincoln RAILS Outdoor Athletics, Lovejoy, Park Avenue, South Union, Woodlawn
- 2017-2018: Central Campus/Downtown School, Central Nutrition Center, Cowles, Garton, Greenwood, Hillis, Jefferson, Madison, Mann, Moore, Phillips, Samuelson, Smouse, Stowe, Studebaker, Walnut Street
- 2018-2019: Cattell, Operations (Dean Avenue), Findley, Hanawalt, Hubbell, Jackson, King, Lincoln RAILS, McKinley, Merrill, Moulton, North, North High Outdoor Athletics, Oak Park, Perkins, Pleasant Hill, Willard
- 2019-2020: 2100 Fleur, Callanan, Central Academy, East, Harding, Hiatt, Hoover, Hoover High Outdoor Athletics, Hoyt, McCombs, Meredith, Prospect, Roosevelt, Roosevelt Outdoor Athletics, Van Meter, Walker Street, Weeks, Welcome Center
- 2021-2022: Aviation Lab, Brubaker, Capital View, Carver, Edmunds, Howe, McKee, Mitchell, Monroe, Morris, River Woods, Taylor, Windsor, Wright
NOTE: Schedule is subject to change based upon programming and sampling results.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The following local and national organizations provide helpful information about lead and drinking water:
- Des Moines Water Works: DMWW is the provider of water service to all school district facilities. Their web site includes information about how Des Moines works to reduce lead in drinking water as well as suggestions on how to reduce exposure to elevated levels of lead.
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The CDC offers information about the health effects of lead as well as tips on how to reduce and avoid exposure.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: The EPA provides a wide range of information about lead in water supplies along with advice on how to reduce and avoid exposure.