The EPA said the school’s water test results will be available on Monday.

Principal Marie
Calendro requested the test after university laboratory tests in December showed high levels of
arsenic and lead.

“When Ryan interviewed me for the story and told me about the test results, I was a little
shocked,” Principal Marie Calendro said. “I did contact the EPA to test the water, and I am
confident the results will show a safe environment here.”

A test was originally conducted at Leaguetown university, with results saying the water had high
arsenic levels and traces of lead.

“When I told Mr. Nguyen, my chemistry teacher, what story I was investigating, he suggested I
have the water tested at the laboratory at the university,” Newspaper editor Ryan Romero said.
“I met with the toxicologist, and he explained that while the levels of lead and arsenic were
higher than the EPA allowed, the levels were not deadly.”

Many students around the school were already very wary of the water, now including worried
parents. The color of the water has always striked many the wrong way as it comes in shades of
brown and yellow instead of clear.

“I just try to avoid drinking school water,” Sophomore Elizabeth Furry said. “If I forget my water
bottle for basketball, I buy soda from the machine. I’d rather be thirsty than drink the water.”

Although, even if the water does have some questionable features, it doesn’t necessarily mean
the water is unhealthy or dangerous. Many people have come out saying that the water is
annually tested and has never been unsafe for students.

”If the water sample for lead and arsenic is above the EPA action level then the district must
take corrective action immediately,” EPA spokesperson Robert Lund said. “But samples above
the action level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is unhealthy.”