Lead detected in Wilsonville High School water, district plans retest

This story has been updated from its original version.

Following routine testing of all drinking and food preparation water sources at Wilsonville High School, the West Linn-Wilsonville School District informed the community that elevated lead levels were detected in a message posted on ParentSquare Tuesday, June 11.

Of the 272 water fixtures in Wilsonville High School, 14 tested above the Oregon Department of Education standard of 15 parts per billion. All fixtures that showed elevated trace lead amounts are immediately removed from usage and retested within 10 days.

Lead testing for water in Oregon schools is part of ODE’s Healthy and Safe Schools Plan, which was passed in 2016 and updated in 2021. The update changed the threshold from 20 ppb to 15 ppb.

This is the first time Wilsonville High School has been tested since 2016. Originally built in 1995, Wilsonville High School received facility improvements in the 2000s and the new Wilsonville Performing Arts Center was completed last year.

Among the 14 fixtures that surpassed the 15 ppb threshold, four were for drinking water, 7 kitchen faucets and two staff faucets. Often, infrequently used water fixtures collect a buildup of metallic materials and show elevated amounts of lead during testing. After the fixture is replaced, an additional retest could show that lead is present further down the water system than just the fixture.

The school district will send another message on ParentSquare following the retest.