Parents' guide to lead at OUSD schools

The Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) has shut down numerous water fountains and faucets in response to lead contamination detected at several schools as students return for the new school year. The Oaklandside has put together an informative guide for parents, summarizing test results and providing clarity on how to interpret the reports released by the district. As of August 23, testing has been completed for 40 schools, revealing that 32 K-12 schools had at least one water source with lead levels above the district's threshold of 5 parts per billion. Among these, 11 schools reported lead levels between 5 and 15 parts per billion, while 21 schools had levels exceeding 15 parts per billion, which necessitates remediation. OUSD has acknowledged past shortcomings in communication with families regarding testing and has pledged to notify communities within three days of receiving results in the future.

The guide also features a map illustrating the highest lead levels detected and the percentage of affected fixtures in each school. As OUSD continues its testing efforts, parents can stay informed with updates from The Oaklandside. The situation underscores critical health concerns and the importance of transparent communication in school environments.