NORWOOD PARK — Water from four drinking fountains at Onahan Elementary School tested positive for elevated levels of lead during a second round of testing by Chicago Public Schools officials, records show.
Tests this summer found high levels of lead at seven Far Northwest Side schools: Norwood Park Elementary, Onahan Elementary, Beaubien Elementary, Portage Park Elementary, Prussing Elementary, Stock School and Smyser Elementary, records show.
But a second round of testing completed in recent weeks found elevated levels of lead remain only at Onahan Elementary, 6634 W. Raven St. in Norwood Park.
Five tests of all four first-floor fountains on Aug. 18 found between 15 parts per billion and 520 parts per billion of lead, records show.
Heather Cherone talks about NW Side school lead levels.
The first round of tests, conducted June 10, found between 15.3 parts per billion and 2,970 parts per billion in the four water fountains next to the school's main office as well as the second- and third-grade classrooms.
The Environmental Protection Agency considers water with less than 15 parts per billion of lead to be safe.
All of the fountains were shut down after the first round of testing, officials said.
Onahan Elementary Principal Karen Koegler and CPS representatives did not respond to a request for comment from DNAinfo Chicago.
Citywide, 113 schools tested positive for elevated levels of lead during the first round of testing.
Sinks in kindergarten rooms at Smyser Elementary, Norwood Park Elementary and Portage Park Elementary no longer have elevated levels of lead, according to the results of the second round of testing.
In addition, kitchen sinks at Prussing Elementary and Beaubien Elementary no longer have elevated levels of lead, according to the results of the second round of testing.
The sink inside the principal's office at Stock School, a preschool in Edison Park, no longer has elevated levels of lead, according to the results of the second-round of testing.
CPS officials promised to test all elementary schools this fall.
Recent tests found no elevated levels of lead at Edgebrook Elementary, Farnsworth Elementary, Gray Elementary, Reinberg Elementary, Chicago Academy Elementary, Bridge Elementary, Dever Elementary and O.A. Thorp Scholastic Academy, records show.
Tests this summer found no elevated levels of lead at Canty Elementary School, Dirksen Elementary, Oriole Park Elementary, Edison Park Elementary and Hitch Elementary School, records show.
The results of tests conducted Sept. 20-21 at Sauganash Elementary, Ebinger Elementary, Garvy Elementary and Wildwood Elementary are not yet available on the CPS website.
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.
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 as part of a pilot program at 324 schools built before 1986 with pre-kindergarten programs prompted by the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Mich.
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