April 16, 2025
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Staff:
The State of Vermont requires all schools and child care providers to test their drinking water for lead. Samples of water from every tap at BFA/NCTC reasonably expected to be used for drinking or cooking were collected and sent to a certified drinking water lab for analysis.
Results for Bellows Free Academy (Saint Albans) are listed in the table at the end of this letter.
We take our responsibility to provide a safe and healthy environment for the children and staff seriously. Any tap that tested at or above 4 ppb was immediately taken out of service for drinking or cooking. We are working on fixes to permanently lower levels of lead in the water.
Lead exposure poses a special risk to children because they absorb lead into their systems more easily than adults do. Lead can slow down growth, impair development and learning, and can cause behavior problems. While the major source of lead poisoning in Vermont children is paint, lead in plumbing pipes and fixtures can add to a person’s overall exposure. Drinking water in schools and homes may contain lead from old pipes, plumbing fixtures (such as fountains and faucets), or the solder that joins pipe sections together.
More Information:
· For questions about the water testing process, or about the law and its requirements, please call the Lead in School and Child Care Drinking Water Program at 802-863-7220 or 800-439-8550 (toll-free in Vermont).
· You can view school and child care results, remediation and any follow-up testing at LeadResults.vermont.gov. (NOTE: If your child’s preschool or after school program is located at a school, the results will be listed under the school’s name.)
· For more information visit: HealthVermont.gov/LeadTesting
· If you have questions or concerns about our facility and the actions we are taking, please contact Leonard Smith, Maintenance Director.
To learn more about lead hazards and lead poisoning prevention, visit HealthVermont.gov/lead.
If you want to test your home drinking water for lead, find a list of certified drinking water labs at TinyURL.com/certified-lab.
Sincerely,
Polly Rico, Principal
Vermont Department of Health
Summary of Lead in Drinking Water Results Bellows Free Academy (Saint Albans)1, 2, 3, 4
Lab ID | Tap | Collection Type | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
25‑IC‑03329 | North, E302, Kitchen Ice Machine | Initial First Draw | < 1 ppb |
Notes:
1. The Certificate of Analysis for each sample that is included in this summary will be sent by email or mailed directly from the laboratory.
2. The action level for lead in school and child care drinking water set by the Vermont legislature is 4 parts per billion (ppb).
3. A first draw sample collects the first water to come out of the tap after a period of inactivity, typically at least 8 hours. A high first draw result may indicate that a fixture is the likely source of lead.
4. A flush sample is taken after running cold water for 30 seconds, which tests water further upstream in the plumbing. A high flush result may indicate that plumbing is the likely source of lead.