Results for lead in drinking water and well water quality
Testing for Lead in Drinking Water
Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) is testing schools and centers for the presence of lead in school drinking water. CCPS is conducting the testing to comply with a new state regulation, HB 270, which was signed into law in May 2017 and requires schools served by public water to test for the presence of lead. All Maryland schools, public and nonpublic that serve students in prekindergarten to Grade 12, must complete the testing. The testing is not the result of any concerns with drinking water in Charles County schools.
The previous lead action level under Maryland law was 20 parts per billion (ppb) and was in effect through May 31, 2021. As of June 1, 2021, the lead action level is 5 ppb.
Testing is limited to water outlets where the water is intended for consumption. This includes water sources like drinking fountains, cafeteria sinks, classroom combination sinks, teachers’ lounge sinks and any other outlets used for drinking or food preparation. It does not include water outlets like utility and bathroom sinks. CCPS will place signs on non-drinking outlets that are not subject to water sampling indicating they have not been sampled. Signs do not indicate that a particular water outlet has lead contamination.
Although not required by law, CCPS plans to test the water at all schools, including those where water is provided by a well, educational centers and office buildings. Staff will test the more than 30 CCPS schools and buildings in the 2021-2022 school year. Details about testing procedures and other information is included in the Frequently Asked Questions.
CCPS will send all water samples to Martel Laboratories JDS Inc., a state-certified laboratory for water analysis. CCPS will post results on schools and centers websites as we receive them and CCPS will post full lab reports and summaries on this webpage.
For more information
Testing for Lead in Drinking Water – Public and Nonpublic Schools, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE)
Charles County Public Schools contact
Michael Heim, Assistant Superintendent of Supporting Services, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Frequently Asked Questions
CCPS will test water at all school fountains, ice machines, cafeteria sinks and any other outlets typically used to dispense drinking or cooking water.
Testing will not be conducted on faucets intended for hand washing, cleaning or other non-drinking purposes, such as those in utility rooms, restrooms, related arts classrooms (art, technology education and music) or science classrooms. Skin does not readily absorb lead in water; therefore, even if lead were present, handwashing does not represent a health risk even when hands have minor cuts or scrapes.
CCPS will place mandated signage issued by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) that indicates the outlet is not to be used for drinking, but only for hand washing. The sign simply indicates that a particular faucet has not been sampled, and does not indicate that a particular water supply is, or suspected of, lead contamination.
CCPS plans to complete the sampling by June 30, 2022. The regulation requires staff to conduct sampling during the regular school year, while school is in session. This is done so that the samples will be representative of conditions when staff and students are in the building.
The law sets an action level of 5 parts per billion (ppb) for lead. If an outlet exceeds this level, the outlet must be closed and remedial actions initiated. CCPS would conduct more sampling after it completes remedial actions.
The fixture is not returned to service until post-remediation testing confirms the corrective actions lowered the test results below the action level.
The regulation requires notification of elevated levels of lead within 10 days of receiving the laboratory report. The school must provide a written notice to staff and parents. CCPS would promptly notify staff, the community, MDE, Maryland State Department of Education and the Charles County Department of Health of results that indicate the presence of lead exceeding 20 ppb.
CCPS would issue a second notification once all remedial actions are complete and have been confirmed through follow-up sampling.
All test results will be accessible on the school system website within 30 days after the report is received. Results will be reported to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the Charles County Health Department.
If levels require action, a flush sample (water taken after sitting for at least eight hours) is collected and the outlet is shut off within 24 hours of CCPS receiving results. CCPS will perform remediation on fixtures of the specific outlets. Within 30 days after the report is received of elevated samples, results will be reported to the Maryland Department of Health.
Lead in Drinking Water Test Results
Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) recommends water outlets be taken out of service if the lead level exceeds 5 parts per billion (ppb). When a water outlet exceeds this level, the outlet is disabled within 24 hours to prevent physical access to the water coming from the fixture. A follow-up sample is collected and if the results have lead levels exceeding the action level, the fixture is replaced.
Click on a category below to view test results. * indicates a school using well water
| School | Date Tested | Number of Fixtures Sampled | Number of Samples Over 20 ppb | Results |
| Henry E. Lackey * | 5/8/2019 12/3/2019 |
63 3 |
3 0 |
Parent Staff Letter 10-22-2019  Lackey Report 5-8-2019 Lackey Retest Report 12-3-2019 |
| La Plata | 10-16-21 | 44 |
6 |
La Plata Report 10-16-21 Parent Staff Letter 1-7-22 |
| North Point | 5-21-2019 | 110 | 0 | North Point Report 5-21-2019 Parent Staff Letter 11-12-2019 |
| Maurice J. McDonough * | 5/14/2019 12-6-2019 |
59 6 |
6 1 |
McDonough Report 5-14-2019 Parent Staff Letter 10-2-2019 McDonough Retest Report 12-6-2019 |
| St. Charles | 10-12-2021 | 72 | 1 | St. Charles Report Oct. 12, 2021 Parent Staff Letter 1-7-22 |
| Thomas Stone | 4-30-2019 12-14-2019 |
61 2 |
4 0 |
Stone Report 4-30-2019 Parent Staff Letter 9-11-2019 Stone Retest Report 12-14-2019 |
| Westlake | 5-16-2019 | 55 | 0 | Westlake Report 5-16-2019 Parent Staff Letter 10-22-2019 |
| Robert D. Stethem Educational Ctr * | 5/15/2019 | 23 | 0 | StethemEC Report 5-15-2019 Parent Staff Letter 10-1-2019 |
| Office Building | Date Tested | Number of Fixtures Sampled | Number of Samples Over 20 ppb | Results |
| Annex 1 | 5/11/2019 | 4 | 0 | Annex 1 Report 5-11-2019 Staff Letter 8-20-2019 |
| Annex 2 | 5/11/2019 | 2 | 0 | Annex 2 Report 5-11-2019 Staff Letter 8-16-2019 |
| Jesse L. Starkey Administration | 5/11/2019 | 18 | 0 | Starkey Report 5-11-2019 Staff Letter 9-17-2019 |
| Maintainance Shop | 5/11/2019 | 5 | 0 | Maintenance Shop Report 5-11-2019 Staff Letter 8-27-2019 |
