Savannah R-III School District

Amazonia Elementary

Helena Elementary

John Glenn Elementary

Minnie Cline Elementary

Savannah Middle School

Savannah High School

Central Office

Special Services (Chestnut Campus)

Early Learning Center

Get the Lead Out official statute

MO Dept. of Health & Senior Services - Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water

 Lead in Drinking Water | Sources of Lead | CDC 

The Savannah R3 School District is committed to our students and staff's safety and well-being. In alignment with that commitment and in compliance with the new Missouri state law, “Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water Act,” over the winter break, SR3 had a professional environmental consulting firm initiate and complete testing of our water. Specifically, each possible drinking and food preparation source in our schools and buildings was sampled and tested to determine if the lead concentration in the water was above the required action level of five parts per billion (5 ppb), which is equal to 5 micrograms per liter. The 5 ppb level required by the state is below the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) recommended action level of 15 ppb. 

While the law specifies that all preschool through 12th-grade schools that receive state funding have until August 1, 2024, to complete testing at all drinking water outlets and food preparation outlets, our SR3 Facilities Director acted promptly.  Following the state’s recommendation, AXIOM Service Professionals were hired to test each outlet to ensure the district had time to initiate remedial measures as swiftly as needed.

Each SR3 campus had its possible drinking and food preparation water outlets tested. Of the 242 water outlets tested, 86% tested below the Missouri statutory level of 5 ppb, and 96% (232 outlets) tested below the US EPA recommended action level of 15 ppb. Among the portion of outlets that tested above the state level, only 1 was a designated drinking water source, a bottle-filling station located in the wrestling gym on the Chestnut Campus (i.e., the Old Middle School). 

District facilities teams have already begun working with AXIOM to remedy every source that needs attention. Steps include: 

1. Identifying and marking water outlets that do not meet statutory requirements with  "Not for drinking/cooking" Signage. 

2. Determine if the lead's source is within the building's pipes or contained within the particular water fixture where water is being dispensed.  

3. Install filters on the school water lines, sinks, and water fountains as needed per state guidelines. 

4. Complete follow-up testing to ensure the lead results are below five parts per billion. 

Prior to being used again, water from each source will be tested to ensure the issue has been resolved. We will communicate additional results after testing takes place.

Lead testing results will be located on our district website at the following link: www.savannahr3.com/page/mo-get-the-lead-out-act

You can find resources on the Centers For Disease Control website for information on lead and exposure. Lead in Drinking Water | Sources of Lead | CDC