On November 30, 2023, Dr. Zachary McLaughlin, the Superintendent of Portsmouth School District, emailed everyone in the Portsmouth School District warning about high lead levels in specific locations at all Portsmouth schools.
“During this recent testing, we collected samples from 142 drinking water outlets (e.g., drinking fountains, classroom faucets, kitchen sinks), with 41 samples testing at or above five (5) ppb, the level where action must be taken,” said McLaughlin in his email.
“Lead is tasteless, odorless, and colorless in drinking water, so testing is the only way to learn whether lead is present,” stated McLaughlin’s response.
A recent Seacoastonline article by Ian Lenahan stated: “The city school district will retest water outlets throughout all its schools after 41 taps were found to have elevated lead levels by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.”
Lead was detected in a bubbler in room 145, a bubbler in the boys’ side gymnasium, a bubbler in the Foreign Language wing, and Classroom T9. None of the lead was in the part to fill water bottles but in the bubbler part.
The problematic areas have been closed off with an out-of-order sign. McLaughlin said, “We believe this work should be completed in weeks as opposed to months,” according to a Seacoastonline article.
Principal Stephen Chinosi said, “The lead accumulated because the water wasn’t being flushed, and we saw higher counts in sinks that aren’t used regularly.”
“The water fountain in the Spanish wing being closed off has been inconvenient for the students because they have to go to the other side of the school and miss class time,” said Tara Hebert, a Spanish teacher at PHS. “It appears that the students are wandering around the halls.”
“The biggest part is missing class time because the Spanish wing fountain hasn’t been open,” continued Hebert.
“I had to miss a part of my class and walk down to the math wing instead,” said Zackery Lavalley, a sophomore at PHS.