Oakland school district says it failed to properly warn parents about lead in water

A Northern California school district informed on Monday that 198 of the drinking fountains and water faucets in the schools it has had high levels of lead and parents were not informed. 
 
The Oakland Unified School District, serving 45,000 + students as the 11th largest district from Oakland California, recently sampled 1,083 of the campus faucets and fountains, for lead levels greater than 5 ppb. 
 
The current standard set by the district is at 5 ppb and this is higher standards set by state and federal at 15 ppb. 
 
Among them, there are 897 faucets and fountains containing lead with 5 ppb or lower; thus, 82. A smaller proportion of 8% was in the category that met the district higher standards.
 
But there were 116 that tested at more than 5 ppb, but less than 15 ppb, which accounted for 10. Seven percent of the campus faucets and fountains. 

Of the 85 firms that tested above the state and federal limits of 15 parts per billion (ppb), 70 were above 70 ppb; and these made up 6%. Five percent of campus water fixtures. 

 Among the 186 that tested at 5 ppb or higher, “61 fixtures have been fixed so far” with more expected to be fixed, officials added. 
 
But in an open letter addressed to the “Oakland Unified Community,” the district said that parents should have been informed earlier about these tests and their results. 
 
‘Even though we paid attention to details and caring for our sites, we failed in giving appropriate information to the members of each school community as the testing began, each time the results were out, and when the fixing processes were on,’ said the district. 
 
We are making arrangements so that such a lapse in communication shall not happen again, and that the school communities shall be informed instantly when such testing is happening at their schools. 
 
The effects of lead poisoning can be specifically devastating for the youth, developmental problems or learning disabilities could ensue. 
 
The Oakland Unified School District is among the most racially integrated in the country with about 49. Of students 5% are Latino; approximately 19. 8% Black, 14. Three percent identified themselves as Asian, Pacific Islander or Filipino and nine percent as Hispanic or Mexican descent. 3% white.