Lead levels ‘higher than normal’ in water at Volusia County elementary school

Pediatrician warns high lead levels can impact children

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Volusia County school officials announced Tuesday that lead levels in the drinking water at a Port Orange elementary school were found to be “higher than normal.”

During regularly scheduled maintenance, six buildings with a total of 11 classrooms at Sugar Mill Elementary School were identified as having lead levels higher than the normal level in their water, officials said.

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According to a release from the district, affected water fountains were immediately turned off and made unavailable.

Local pediatrician Dr. Annette Neilson said it’s common for lead to contaminate water, though it’s not something to panic over.

“They don’t need to freak out, you know,” Neilson said. “It’s something that happens pretty frequently.”

However, Neilson warns that lead contamination could impact children’s health and urged parents to take their children to a doctor for a checkup if they’ve been exposed.

“If it’s not treated, if it’s not taken out of their blood system, then yes, it will stay with them throughout their entire life,” Neilsen said.

Nielsen told News 6 that high-level lead exposure could cause problems like behavioral issues, learning disabilities and development issues if left unchecked.

“Instead of growing up to become a lawyer or a football player, they may struggle to graduate high school.”

Sascha Dela Fuenta, a parent of a 5th grader at Sugar Mill Elementary, said she received a letter about the high lead levels more than a month ago, but she didn’t realize how it could impact children at the time.

“If it can be a big problem, and our children need to be checked for the amount of lead they have in their bloodstream, it should have been part of their communication,” Dela Fuenta said.

The district superintendent recommended an emergency be declared to replace or reline the piping at the school, and bottled water will be provided to students and staff until the problem can be fixed, the release shows.

School officials said that the district’s maintenance and construction departments will only install certified lead-free fixtures and piping.

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About the Authors:

Anthony, a graduate of the University of Florida, joined ClickOrlando.com in April 2022.

Treasure joined News 6 at the start of 2021, coming to the Sunshine State from Michigan.

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