Testing for Lead in Water

According to New York state law, school districts are required every three years (originally every 5 years) to lead test all water outlets used for drinking and cooking, unless the state Commissioner of Health requires testing sooner. The samples are sent to a state-approved lab for analysis. In 2021, the state lowered the established action level of 15 micrograms of lead per liter, typically referred to as “parts per billion (ppb),” to 5 ppb for tests taking place beginning in the 2022-23 school year and after. 

ESM buildings are on a testing schedule and new lead testing results are posted below as they become available. 

All Instructional Buildings 2025 Results


Not in the files linked above and below are:

East Syracuse Elementary (July 2025)
Rm. 216 sink, shut off and tagged out of service on 7/21/2025

Park Hill (July 2025)
Storage sink, shut off and tagged out of service on 7/21/2025
Main office sink (Elmcrest), shut off and tagged out of service on 7/21/2025
3rd floor drinking fountain, permanently removed from wall/plumbing capped on 7/21/2025

ESE concession stand (July 2022): 
3-bay sink faucet - 12 ppb
bathroom faucet - 8.4 ppb
Both outlets meet the current standard.

CHS (Oct. 2020)

Prior to the 2016 regulations to mandate lead testing in New York schools, samples were taken from most district outlets with the exception of Pine Grove Middle School, which was undergoing renovations at the time. Test results from those samplings have been received by the district and can be found below. The 2016 law called for additional sources to be tested, so the balance of the water outlets in the elementary schools were sampled in September 2016. More high school sources and all required sources at Pine Grove Middle School were sampled in October 2016. Results of those tests are also below.

All laboratory data has been reported to the Department of Health (DoH). We continue to work with DoH and our BOCES Health & Safety Officer to resolve all exceptions.

See below or click here to read the (9-30-16) parent/guardian letter explaining the testing & the new legislation.