GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Voluntary testing done by the Guilford County Schools revealed high lead levels in the drinking water of several schools.

  • The district has not said what caused the problem
  • Any child under the age of 6 can get tested for free
  • Frazier Elementary, Allen Jay Elementary and Southeast Guilford Middle tested above the threshold

Frazier Elementary, Allen Jay Elementary and Southeast Guilford Middle all tested above the mandatory threshold for lead.

The district hasn't established what caused the problem, but Paula Cox of the Guilford County Department of Health and Human Services says there could be a few factors.

"Typically it comes through pipes and the solder that they use in the pipes. There is a lot of older faucets that are made with brass, and lead is a component of brass," she said.

The chief operating officer for the district says they brought the numbers down through retests and changes.

"We have very strict protocols in place for our retest. It was called a flush retest. It brought the levels certainly within, well within the acceptable range. Then we also did a remediation which included changing out the faucet and after that well within the established guidelines," Scott McCully said.

This is one of the first years Guilford County Schools has done the testing. It isn't mandatory.

McCully said the national attention around drinking water and the safety of students and faculty led them to check out all county buildings.

If a parent is concerned that their child goes to a school that tested high, Cox recommends getting them tested for lead levels.

Any child under the age of 6 can get tested for free at the health department.

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