Perkiomen Valley SD committee describes daily flushing for drinking water; scheduled lead testing not required

Unidentified Speaker 1 opened the meeting with a brief safety update and introduced a required read-aloud about lead in drinking water. Joe Fabrizio, a district facilities staff member, described the district’s current practice: “We run our water spigots that are potable for 30 seconds every day to flush out any impurities and any stagnant water, which is recommended by PDE,” he said.

Committee Member 4 asked why the district does not conduct routine, scheduled testing for lead. Fabrizio replied the district is not currently required to perform routine testing and said he would consult the district’s environmental consultant to evaluate options. He noted the district has used targeted sampling in the past and did not find elevated lead levels.

Fabrizio said the district’s custodial and kitchen staff are responsible for flushing potable fixtures and that the district has been converting older drinking fountains to bottle-filling stations with filtration. He also said restrooms are used daily and custodians run water there at night, though the daily flushing program focuses on fixtures known to be used for drinking.

Officials did not commit to a standing testing schedule. Committee Member 5 suggested clearer signage in restroom sinks to discourage drinking if that remains the district’s practice. Fabrizio said administrators could obtain a cost estimate to bring in the environmental hygienist for sampling at random outlets if the board asks.

Administration said it will follow up with the consultant and report back to the committee. The committee did not take a formal vote on testing but asked staff to provide cost and scope options for sampling at a future meeting.