MARQUETTE — The second round of water testing for lead at Marquette Area Public Schools buildings was scheduled to begin this morning.

MAPS Superintendent Bill Saunders said in a letter sent earlier this month to parents, students, staff and community members that the ratios of fixtures showing lead levels above the recommended threshold of 15 parts per billion were as follows:

≤ Superior Hills Elementary School, all less than the threshold;

≤ Cherry Creek Elementary School, all less than the threshold;

≤ Sandy Knoll Elementary School, 18 out of 44 fixtures;

≤ Bothwell Middle School, 29 out of 38 fixtures;

≤ Graveraet Elementary School, 17 out of 28 fixtures; and

≤ Marquette Alternative High School at Vandenboom, one out of 15 fixtures.

Only partial results had been received yet regarding Marquette Senior High School, with full results anticipated by today, Saunders told the MAPS Board of Education Monday.

He said that as soon as the results are processed, information would be released to the community.

What triggered Saunders to be proactive with water testing, he said, was the recent discovery of elevated lead levels at Northern Michigan University.

He also mentioned discussion that had been taking place in the Michigan Legislature.

“It looks like at some point — it hasn’t been brought up, it hasn’t gone any place yet — that schools will be mandated to test their water at some point in the future,” Saunders said.

Saunders then contracted with TriMedia Environmental & Engineering, based in Marquette, to test the drinking water. TriMedia then collected samples and sent those to a downstate lab to look for copper and lead.

No elevated copper levels had been found in MAPS water, he said.

“The sole focus at this point moving forward is on the lead,” Saunders said.

Saunders told the board TriMedia was letting water in the school district run Monday night and then allowing it to sit for the second of three rounds of testing. TriMedia then was to come back this morning to collect water samples before any employees or students returned to the buildings.

Regarding the first samples, Saunders said details being looked at include the fixtures, their location, plumbing type, brand or model of the fixtures, whether they have aeration screens, discoloration and leaking.

“I felt, most important, to be as transparent as possible and get as much of this information out,” Saunders said.

He said he could be reached at 906-225-4200 or wsaunders@mapsnet.org should anyone want further details.

Saunders said the 15 parts per billion is a federal recommendation for drinking water, although there is no requirement for any action to be taken.

Saunders said there’s nothing that regulates schools to take action regardless of the amount of lead in the water.

“Certainly, we have a moral obligation to bring this within acceptable ranges, but there’s nothing out there currently that mandates that we do that,” he said.

Saunders said the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, however, has a recommended level for school drinking water of 5 ppb.

He said that as far as district staff could determine, there is no determination anywhere of an acceptable level for washing hands.

Saunders said it is hoped the results of the second round of water testing, which were to be sent to a laboratory downstate, would be received by Friday.

He noted that all the district’s filtered stations, or drinking fountains, are below 5 ppb. However, a plan is being formed to put more filtered stations in the schools.

Saunders estimated each station’s cost at between $600 and $1,200, depending on whether it has a bottle filler. Also, a cost between $2,500 and $4,000, depending on the location, had been discussed for installation, plus plumbing has to line up, and electrical and sanitary line issues have to be addressed.

“Those can be pretty costly as far as putting those in,” Saunders said.

Time is an issue as well.

“You can’t just take the old fixture off the wall, put this fixture on the wall and say it’s fixed,” Saunders said.

However, he noted it is hoped the stations can be put in place before school begins. If that isn’t possible, Saunders said the district can contract with a drinking water supplier to provide filtered cooler water.

Trustee Keith Glendon asked whether grants could pay for the stations.

Saunders said the district needs to take action on the water issue soon, but grants could be sought to offset costs in the meantime.

“We will pursue whatever funding sources that we can,” Saunders said.

Christie Bleck can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250.