The information below relates to the 2022 Mandatory Lead Testing Performed in the District

The Jackson Township Board of Education is committed to protecting the health of our students and staff. As required by the Department of Education regulations, all drinking water outlets in our facilities have been sampled for lead. The Jackson Township Board of Education conducted lead drinking water sampling on two dates in 2022:

• At Crawford-Rodriguez and Elms Elementary Schools and Goetz and McAuliffe Middle School on Feb. 26, 2022, and
• At Jackson Liberty High School, Jackson Memorial High School, Holman, Johnson, Rosenauer and Switlik Elementary Schools, the Liberty Transportation Facility, the Transportation Facility near Memorial and the Administration Building on March 5, 2022.

Please see the letters and resources below for district-wide information/notifications on detected lead.

Full, building-specific results are listed on the right of this page.

District-Wide Lead Testing Results from Feb. 26, 2022

This letter contains information on testing results from Crawford-Rodriguez and Elms Elementary Schools and Goetz and McAuliffe Middle School

District-Wide Lead Testing Results from March 5, 2022

This letter contains information on testing results from Jackson Liberty High School, Jackson Memorial High School, Holman, Johnson, Rosenauer and Switlik Elementary Schools, the Liberty Transportation Facility, the Transportation Facility near Memorial and the Administration Building.

Lead Testing Action Plan - Feb. 26, 2022

This is the letter announcing our lead testing plan.

School District Lead Sampling Plan

Called the QAPP (Quality Assurance Project Plan), this is our district's plan for sampling all potable (drinkable) water sources in the district.

Jackson School District Water Outlet Inventory

This document lists all the locations that will be tested.

Jackson School District Water Filter Maintenance Plan

This document demonstrates our compliance with state laws regarding water filter maintenance.

Jackson School District Water Filter Inventory

This is the inventory and replacement schedule for water filters in use in the district.

Why Test School Drinking Water for Lead?

High levels of lead in drinking water can cause health problems. Lead is most dangerous for pregnant women, infants, and children under 6 years of age. It can cause damage to the brain and kidneys, and can interfere with the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of your body. Exposure to high levels of lead during pregnancy contributes to low birth weight and developmental delays in infants.

In young children, lead exposure can lower IQ levels, affect hearing, reduce attention span, and hurt school performance. At very high levels, lead can even cause brain damage. Adults with kidney problems and high blood pressure can be affected by low levels of lead more than healthy adults.

How Lead Enters our Water

Lead is unusual among drinking water contaminants in that it seldom occurs naturally in water supplies like groundwater, rivers and lakes. Lead enters drinking water primarily as a result of the corrosion, or wearing away, of materials containing lead in the water distribution system and in building plumbing. These materials include lead-based solder used to join copper pipe, brass, and chrome-plated brass faucets. In 1986, Congress banned the use of lead solder containing greater than 0.2% lead, and restricted the lead content of faucets, pipes and other plumbing materials. However, even the lead in plumbing materials meeting these new requirements is subject to corrosion. When water stands in lead pipes or plumbing systems containing lead for several hours or more, the lead may dissolve into the drinking water. This means the first water drawn from the tap in the morning may contain fairly high levels of lead.

Lead in Drinking Water

Lead in drinking water, although rarely the sole cause of lead poisoning can significantly increase a person’s total lead exposure, particularly the exposure of children under the age of 6. EPA estimates that drinking water can make up 20% or more of a person’s total exposure to lead.

For More Information

A copy of the test results is available in our central office for inspection by the public, including students, teachers, other school personnel, and parents, and can be viewed between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

For more information about water quality in our schools, contact Anthony Bruno, Director of Buildings and Grounds at (732) 833-4653.

For more information on reducing lead exposure around your home and the health effects of lead, visit EPA’s Web site at www.epa.gov/lead, call the National Lead Information Center at 800- 424-LEAD, or contact your health care provider.

If you are concerned about lead exposure at this facility or in your home, you may want to ask your health care providers about testing children to determine levels of lead in their blood.