Wenatchee School District reports elevated lead levels in 87 water outlets

WENATCHEE — Wenatchee School District testing found elevated lead levels in 87 drinking water outlets across district facilities, prompting fixture replacements, restrictions on some water sources and plans for additional plumbing improvements.

The district announced the results Oct. 14 after presenting its findings to the School Board during an Oct. 13 meeting. An independent environmental firm tested 932 faucets, drinking fountains and bottle-filling stations at schools and support buildings between May 2024 and June 2026.

Of those tested, 87 exceeded Washington state's action level of 5 parts per billion for lead in school drinking water.

According to the district, maintenance crews replaced affected fixtures with lead-free faucets and fountain bubblers, then flushed and conditioned the replacements before conducting follow-up testing. Outlets that continued to exceed the state threshold were removed or designated for handwashing only, with food preparation prohibited.

"As soon as we got results back our plumber got right after addressing these issues. Then we worked on finding the cause," said Wenatchee School District Maintenance & Operations Director, Bryan Brockie. "In a lot of buildings, a new fixture solved it. Where it didn't, those outlets stay off-limits for drinking."

Six district facilities recorded no elevated lead levels: Westside High School, Lincoln Elementary School, Wenatchee Valley Technical Skills Center, the district office, Transition House and the transportation facility.

At seven additional locations, replacing fixtures resolved the elevated lead readings. Follow-up testing at Lewis & Clark, Washington, John Newbery and Sunnyslope elementary schools, Castle Rock Early Learning Center, Pioneer Middle School and the Apple Bowl showed lead concentrations at or below 5 parts per billion.

However, elevated readings persisted at several other district facilities despite fixture replacements.

Wenatchee High School had the largest number of affected outlets, with 24 remaining above the state action level. Five were removed and 19 were posted with restrictions prohibiting drinking and food preparation.

Mission View Elementary School had 11 affected outlets, primarily in the building's 300 wing.

Other facilities with outlets that continued to exceed the threshold included Valley Academy of Learning with four, Orchard Middle School with three, Foothills Middle School with two, the former Valley Academy building now used for storage with two and the district's Maintenance and Operations Warehouse with one.

All remaining affected outlets have either been removed or posted with signs reading "Handwash only. Food prep prohibited," according to the district.

District officials said elevated lead levels that persist after fixture replacement generally indicate contamination originating from plumbing within the building rather than the fixtures themselves.

Lead in school drinking water can originate from older faucets, fountains, solder and pipes. Because contamination can occur within individual plumbing systems, lead concentrations can vary between outlets in the same building.

The district is seeking funding to replace water supply lines in the 300 wing at Mission View Elementary School.

Plumbing improvements at Wenatchee High School are also included in the district's proposed bond measure scheduled for the Nov. 3 election. The proposal includes replacing all plumbing at the high school.

The district has released a remediation action plan for public review and is accepting comments through Oct. 27.

The School Board is expected to consider adopting the plan during its regular meeting Oct. 27, following the public comment period.

Residents can submit comments by email to info@wenatcheeschools.org or provide comments in person during the Oct. 27 board meeting.

Under state law, school drinking water must be retested every five years. The district's next round of testing is scheduled for 2029.

The district also reported that its bottle-filling stations are equipped with filters rated for lead removal. Indicator lights notify custodial employees when filters need replacement.

Families concerned about possible lead exposure can consult their children's health care providers about blood lead testing. The Chelan-Douglas Health District can also provide information.

The district's complete testing results and proposed action plan are available at wenatcheeschools.org/facilities-water-testing.