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Safe Drinking Water

Parkway is committed to the safety and well-being of our students and staff, including safe drinking water.

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 used for drinking, food preparation, and cooking or cleaning utensils.

From March to July 2024, all Parkway schools will complete water testing in partnership with a professional environmental consulting firm. 

  • The EPA standard for acceptable lead levels in drinking water is less than 15 ppb (parts per billion)
  • Missouri law passed in 2022 requires Missouri schools to have drinking water of less than 5 ppb (parts per billion)

Test Results

From March 18-22, 2024, water outlets for possible drinking and food preparation were tested at the following schools and buildings: Administration, Barretts, Bellerive, Central High, Claymont, Fern Ridge, Grounds, Green Trails, Mason Ridge, Ross, South High, Wren Hollow, and West Middle. In the Summer of 2024, testing was completed at all other Parkway schools and buildings. 

Families and staff were notified directly of the results. The safety and health of our students and staff is our highest priority. We will work diligently to rectify every source that is out of compliance. In the meantime, all students and staff will continue to have access to various water outlets throughout the school that have met compliance.

Test results for each school/building are posted below:

Results by School

Learn more about safe drinking water

Does Parkway regularly test water?
Parkway Schools are provided with water from the Missouri American Water Company. The Missouri American Water Company regularly tests its water and publicly reports the results.

Is it common to have lead in drinking water?
Lead is rarely found in source water like groundwater or rivers. Typically, lead in water results from corrosion, or the wearing away, of lead-containing materials in the water distribution system such as pipes and faucets. Since 1986, all plumbing materials must be “lead-free.” The law currently allows plumbing materials up to 0.25 percent lead to be labeled as “lead-free.” While there are lower amounts of lead used in newer water distribution systems, corrosion still occurs. When water stands in lead pipes or plumbing systems containing lead for several hours or more, the lead may dissolve into the drinking water. In such circumstances, the first water drawn from a tap in the morning typically contains the highest traces of lead. Although rarely the sole cause of lead poisoning, lead in drinking water can significantly increase a person’s total lead exposure. The EPA estimates that drinking water can make up 20% or more of a person’s total exposure to lead. According to the EPA (www.epa.gov), children of any age are susceptible to the effects of lead, with children under the age of 6 being most at risk. While effects may vary in scope and severity, the EPA reports that lead might lead to behavior and learning problems, lower IQ, hyperactivity, slowed growth, hearing problems and anemia. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that the impact of lead exposure on children can be impacted by various factors including age, nutrition, the source of exposure, length of time of the exposure, and other underlying health conditions. Elevated levels of lead in women who are pregnant can also be harmful, possibly severely, to both babies and mothers. Your physician or healthcare provider can provide additional information regarding the effects of lead exposure and, with respect to one’s health history, whether testing for lead should be considered.

Learn more about safe drinking water

If you have questions about the water testing in Parkway Schools, please email connect@parkwayschools.net.