Recent data from the Washington Department of Health (DOH) has revealed that a significant number of schools across the state have detected lead levels in their drinking water fixtures that surpass the safety threshold established by state guidelines.
The detrimental effects of lead on health, particularly for children and adults, are well-documented, with consensus among experts that there is no safe level of lead exposure for young children. This means that any trace of lead in drinking water poses a potential health risk, regardless of the amount.
Lead can infiltrate drinking water supplies through the use of lead pipes, faucets, and plumbing fixtures. Older plumbing systems, especially those installed before 1986, are more likely to contain lead, prompting recent federal regulations aimed at eliminating lead-containing materials in water systems.
According to the DOH data, nearly 75 percent of schools tested had lead levels exceeding the state’s action limit of five parts per billion (ppb) between March 2022 and August 2025. Washington law mandates that if a drinking water fixture registers a lead concentration of 15 ppb or higher, it must be immediately taken out of service. However, the Department of Health advises against consuming water when lead levels reach even 5 ppb.
Alarmingly, almost half of the schools assessed reported lead levels exceeding 15 ppb, while 20 schools had more than half of their drinking water fixtures testing above 5 ppb for lead. The highest recorded lead concentration was found at Silver Beach Elementary School in Bellingham, where one fixture measured an astonishing 4,853 ppb of lead.
