St. Jerome’s Catholic Kindergarten is the third kindergarten where lead-tainted water has been found. Photo: Apple Daily
EJ InsightToday, 11:07
Lead-tainted water is increasingly being found in boilers in schools.
Two water samples taken from St. Jerome’s Catholic Kindergarten in Tin Shui Wai were found to have lead levels that exceed the World Health Organization guideline of a maximum of 10 micrograms per liter, Sing Tao Daily reported Thursday.
The samples were among those taken in a new test of water supplies at 37 kindergartens in Hong Kong.
The lead content in a sample from the boiler in St. Jerome’s kitchen was 13 mcg per liter.
It was 20 mcg per liter in the pantry.
The kindergarten, the third where excessive lead was found in the water, stopped using the boiler immediately after the government announced the result.
The boiler, which is popularly used in schools, offices and restaurants, provides daily drinking water to the kindergarten’s staff and pupils.
The Department of Health will make arrangements for 203 pupils to have their blood tested.
It is believed that the toxic lead content may come from pipes and fittings welded together with lead.
The government has conducted water tests for 243 kindergartens and six special education and childcare centres built by the government after 2005.
– Contact us at english@hkej.com
BT/AC/FL
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The third kindergarten found to have lead-tainted water
Boilers in schools have become one of the places where lead water is found.
Two water samples taken from St Jerome’s Catholic Kindergarten in Tin Shui Wai were found to have lead levels which exceeded the guideline 10 micrograms per liter set by the Wealth Health Organization (WHO), Sing Tao Daily reported Thursday.
The samples took from a further test of 37 kindergartens in the city.
Lead content in samples from the boiler in the kitchen and the pantry of the kindergarten, was 13 micrograms per liter and 20 micrograms per liter respectively. Both samples exceed the WHO standard. The kindergarten stopped using the boiler right after the government announced the result.
The boiler, which is popularly used among schools, offices and restaurants, provides daily drinking water to both the kindergarten’s staffs and student in the kindergarten. The Department of Health will make arrangements for 203 students to have blood taken.
It is believed that the toxic lead may come from the pipes and materials welded together with lead.
Until now, three local kindergartens were tested to have high lead content in their water samples. All these samples were from the boiler that they were using.
The government has conducted water test for 243 kindergartens and six special education and childcare centres built by the government after 2005 .
– Contact us at english@hkej.com
BT/AC
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