In 2022, the Missouri legislature passed the Get the Lead out of School Drinking Water Act (RSMo 160.077), which sets standards for lead concentrations in school drinking water. The law requires schools to conduct inventory, sampling, remediation and monitoring at all potable drinking water outlets used or potentially being used for drinking, food preparation and cooking or cleaning utensils. The deadline under the law is August 19, 2024, but Fort Zumwalt School District completed an inventory and testing of all water sources from March 25 - 28, 2024.

Under the law, results are communicated directly with families within seven business days of receipt. Fort Zumwalt received results June 5, 2024, and has shared them with staff and families via email. Results are also required to be posted on the district website and reported to the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). DHSS is currently developing reporting methods and procedures.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently has a lead drinking water standard limit of 15 parts per billion (ppb) of lead in water. However, Missouri law has established an action level of five parts per billion (5 ppb) for Missouri schools, which is equal to five micrograms per liter. If all tested water sources in a building test less than 5 ppb, that building will not be required to test again for a five (5) year period. If a water source is identified to be producing lead levels greater than 5 ppb, annual testing will be required for that building until remediation efforts are proven successful.

Testing Results and Remediation Plans

Fort Zumwalt School District contracted with Environmental Operations for the water testing, which was conducted at all schools from March 25 - 28, 2024.

• Overall, 2,348 water outlets were tested across the District, and 87% (2,035) met the stricter, new Missouri statutory level of 5 ppb or less.

• The district has disconnected any drinking outlet that did not pass. Priority was placed on remediating any situation in schools hosting summer programming.

• All other issues are scheduled to be remediated by Aug. 19, the first day of school.

Fort Zumwalt will remediate immediately and retest; remove fixtures completely or post signs that water is non-potable and remediation is scheduled.

Use the links below to find results for your school. As we work to address any water outlets that are not yet meeting the Missouri statutory level of 5 ppb or less, we will update these pages with follow-up test results.