PORTAGE PARK — Water at six Catholic elementary schools on the Far Northwest Side tested positive for elevated levels of lead, officials with the Archdiocese of Chicago announced.
The south campus of Pope Francis Global Academy in Portage Park was one of the five schools where elevated levels of lead were found, officials said.
Located in the former St. Pascal School at 6143 W. Irving Park Road, Pope Francis Global Academy opened in August.
The other schools were Immaculate Conception, 7263 W. Talcott Ave., Norwood Park; St. Constance, 5841 W. Strong St. in Jefferson Park; St. Edward, 4343 W. Sunnyside Ave., in Old Irving Park; St. Ferdinand, 3131 N. Mason Ave. in Belmont Cragin; and Queen of All Saints, 6280 N. Sauganash Ave., in Sauganash.
Water from two fixtures at Immaculate Conception had elevated levels of lead, officials said. All other schools only had one fixture test positive.
The Environmental Protection Agency considers water with less than 15 parts per billion of lead to be safe.
All of the fixtures have been shut down, and a plan to remove the lead is being developed that might include installing a filtration system or removing the outlet, officials said.
In addition, all Catholic schools are working to implement a "flushing program" designed to remove the dangerous levels of lead from the water before it is consumed.
Representatives of the Office of Catholic Schools did not identify the location or type of fixture at the schools that tested positive for elevated levels of lead.
In addition, the archdiocese did not disclose how much lead was found in the schools' water, saying only it was above the level considered safe.
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 archdiocese began testing for lead in drinking water after CPS found that at least 113 of its schools had dangerously high levels of lead.
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