Plainview-Old Bethpage’s Water is Free of Lead

The Plainview Water District would like to clarify some confusion stemming from a recent Plainview-Old Bethpage School District notification concerning POB schools’ internal water samples that tested positive for lead. We routinely sample for lead and copper in the Water District distribution system and all results have shown that levels for lead were non-detectable (if any contaminant exists, it is so low that modern sampling technology cannot detect it) and copper levels are far below the referred action limit.

Since the water being supplied to homes and buildings is essentially free of these contaminants as confirmed by our routine sampling, when a sample taken within a structure/facility shows elevated levels of lead and/or copper, the source of the lead/copper is interior plumbing or fixtures. Lead was a common material used in plumbing systems and fixtures in older buildings. In fact, to a lesser degree, there are still some plumbing fixtures that are manufactured today with a small amount of lead in them, which can result in positive “first draw” samples.

Water providers do not have any jurisdiction of the plumbing systems or fixtures inside of a home, business, or other buildings. However, to help get a better understanding of the presence of lead and copper in the interior plumbing systems and buildings, the District conducts lead and copper sampling in accordance with the EPA’s regulation known as the lead and copper rule. All water districts across the nation conduct lead and copper sampling in accordance with EPA guidelines.

The Health Department limits are set for lead and copper, and District water laboratory results are as follows:

Lead:

  • Health Department maximum allowable Limit= 15 parts per billion (ppb).
  • Plainview Water District results have been less than 1.0 ppb or non-detectable.

Copper:

  • Health Department maximum allowable Limit= 1.3 parts per million (ppm).
  • Plainview Water District results have shown a maximum level of 0.0044 ppm.