Superintendent Ron Goodman said this week that administrators in Libby plan to begin testing for lead levels in school water by late April or early May.

Goodman made the announcement after Kaiser Health News found that roughly half of the schools tested for lead by mid-February came back with high levels. In nearby Troy, 27 of 58 fixtures checked came back above the state’s limit for lead concentrations of 5 parts per billion, KHN reported.

The testing was conducted after the state Department of Public Health and Human Services implemented a new rule in 2020 requiring schools to check all water sources used for drinking or food prep, according to KHN.

In Libby, which has not yet performed the testing, officials are mapping out the district’s school buildings. That process includes identifying all sources of water for either drinking or filling a water bottle, Goodman said.

“This is a major undertaking given the number of faucets both inside and outside of the buildings,” Goodman wrote in an email.

In the meantime, he recommended students, staff and parents in the buildings run water for a few seconds before drinking it. Those concerned also can turn to the district’s refrigerated drinking fountains, which he said come with filters, to quench thirst or fill up a water bottle.

He is distributing informational materials from the EPA for how to mitigate possible lead infused drinking water, both at school or at home. Sources of toxic metal in the home often come from copper piping soldered with lead, lead service lines and even faucets. Galvanized piping as well can collect lead particles.

To mitigate lead exposure, the EPA recommends using cold water for cooking, drinking and making baby formula. Hot water from the tap can dissolve lead further.

The federal agency suggests people regularly clean faucet screens or adopt water filters designed to remove lead. Residents also can flush their pipes by running a tap, taking a shower and doing a load of laundry or dishes.