NORWOOD PARK — Water at two elementary schools in Norwood Park has tested positive for elevated levels of lead, Chicago Public Schools officials announced Wednesday.
In a letter to parents of students at Norwood Park Elementary School, 5900 N. Nina Ave., Chicago Public Schools officials said five tests conducted June 22 of the sink inside room 112 found 62.9 parts per billion of lead, 27.3 parts per billion of lead, 22.5 parts per billion of lead, 16 parts per billion of lead and 29.7 parts per billion of lead.
That room is used for a kindergarten class, according to the school's website. The sink has been shut down, officials said.
Tests found trace amounts of lead in two sinks in Room 107 at Norwood Park Elementary, which is used as a preschool classroom, according to the school's website.
The Environmental Protection Agency considers water with less than 15 parts per billion of lead to be safe.
In a letter to parents at Onahan Elementary School, 6634 W. Raven St., tests conducted June 10 found elevated levels of lead in water from four drinking fountains on the school's first floor, according to the test results.
Three tests of water from the fountain next to the school's main office found 2,970 parts per billion of lead, 181 parts per billion of lead and 33.9 parts per billion of lead, according to the test results.
In the water from the fountain next to Room 201, a second-grade classroom, five tests found 1,170 parts per billion of lead, 152 parts per billion of lead, 105 parts per billion of lead, 62.2 parts per billion of lead and 39 parts per billion of lead, according to the test results.
Two fountains next to Room 301, a third-grade classroom, also had elevated levels of lead, according to the test results.
In the first fountain, four tests found 109 parts per billion of lead, 47.2 parts per billion of lead, 18.5 parts per billion of lead and 15.3 parts per billion of lead, according to the test results.
In the second fountain, four tests found 296 parts per billion of lead, 286 parts per billion of lead, 123 parts per billion of lead and 47.4 parts per billion of lead, according to the test results.
The sink in Room 112 at Norwood Park Elementary and the four water fountains at Onahan Elementary have been shut down, and a plan to remove the lead is being developed, officials said.
Elevated levels of lead have also been found at Stock School in Edison Park; Portage Park Elementary School and Smyser Elementary School in Portage Park; and Prussing Elementary School in Jefferson Park on the Far Northwest Side.
The government is especially concerned with children drinking lead-tainted water, as they're more susceptible to its effects. Amounts of lead that won't hurt adults can hinder mental and physical development in children, according to the EPA.
No detectable levels of lead were found at Dever Elementary School, 3436 N. Osceola Ave., in Dunning, according to test results.
At Hitch Elementary School in Jefferson Park, 5625 N. McVicker Ave., trace amounts of lead was found in water from all of the fixtures, but no tests showed elevated levels of the contaminant.
The results come as CPS "is taking proactive steps to ensure that our children's drinking water is safe across all schools," spokesman Michael Passman said.
CPS Chief Executive Officer Forrest Claypool called for citywide testing in late May after Tanner Elementary tested positive last month as part of a pilot program at 324 schools built before 1986 with pre-kindergarten programs.
Water at least 77 schools throughout the city has tested positive for lead, officials said.
Beaubien Elementary School, in Jefferson Park, and Edison Park Elementary School have had their water tested, but the results were not available as of Wednesday evening.
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