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Dear Members of Chesapeake Montessori School,
In accordance with COMAR regulation 26.08.05.07, which was enacted on June 1, 2021, mandating that all non-public schools are required to conduct annual lead testing of all water sources in their facilities, CMS conducted water testing pertaining to every water fountain and faucet in our three buildings, across both campuses on December 4, 2021. The EPA describes the limit for lead at any water source to be less than 0.005 ppm/mg/L, down from a limit of 0.0200 ppm/mg/L prior to June 1, 2021. Of the twenty-three water sources tested, one faucet revealed lead levels that exceeded the prescribed limit and contained 0.0109 ppm/mg/L; it was not a drinking faucet source.
The faucet and sink that tested above the limit was one of two faucets and two sinks directly adjacent to one another in the Willow classroom, in 2021. The faucet and sink that tested above the limit had been shut off at the value and was not operational going back to at least 2014 (the year that I arrived at CMS and can attest to it not being used), because it leaked and because there was another working faucet adjacent to it; yet, we turned the valves on prior to the test and tested the water from it. After we received the lab results, the entire sink and faucet were immediately removed, reducing the number of faucets and sinks in that space to only one. All subsequent annual tests have revealed no issue with elevated lead levels pertaining any of the other faucets in our three facilities, across our two campuses. We believe that either 1) the fixtures associated with that faucet were the source of the lead, or 2) the fact that it had been shut off and not operational for years had resulted in an accumulation of elevated lead levels.
Furthermore, it is worth sharing that the Willow classroom was not used for the entire duration of the 2021-2022 school year as CMS’s operations had shrunk to only one YCC classroom (Poplar) at the time of the test; regardless, in accordance with the COMAR regulations, I am informing the community of this lead finding that dates back to 2021, and it will also be posted on our website.
This letter provides context for the additional information here that we are required to offer to parents and staff at CMS when and if a test ever exceeds the limit. Please let me know if you have additional questions or concerns and I would be happy to answer them.
Sincerely,
Robb Wirts
Head of School
r.wirts@chesapeake-montessori.com
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