Environmental Health & Safety

Ensuring safe places for our students to learn

Stillwater Area Public Schools takes safety very seriously and works diligently to ensure we provide safe and healthy learning environments for all of our students.

Contact

Karen Peterson
Secretary to the Manager of Facility & Site Operations
petersonk@stillwaterschools.org
651-351-8378

Radon Testing

We regularly test our schools for radon, a colorless, odorless gas that naturally comes from soil and has been linked to some cancer deaths when found at elevated levels. While radon testing is not required for schools in Minnesota, our school district has tested our schools for radon and we have mitigated any issues when they arise. The latest round of testing was conducted in 2018-2019.

Recent Testing
Previous Testing

Recent Testing

Formal radon testing in all of our buildings took place in 2018-2019 during the MN Department of Health recommended timeframe of November 1 through March 31. The testing was conducted by Field Environmental Consulting, using the MN Department of Health Radon in Schools Model Plan:

843 testing canisters were analyzed. Two had initial radon concentrations above 4.0 pCi/L:

Lily Lake Classroom 205 = 4.1 pCi/
Stillwater Middle School Office 189W = 7.5 pCi/L

Follow-up testing in those two rooms showed concentrations well below the action level:

Lily Lake Classroom 205 = 1.8 pCi/L
Stillwater Middle School Office 189W = .6 pCi/L

Per the Minnesota Department of Health, no further testing/mitigation is necessary. 2018-2019 test results for specific schools and buildings can be found below:

Elementary Schools

Secondary Schools

Other District Facilities

Previous Testing

We contracted with an environmental consultant to formally test all of our buildings for radon in 2006-2007 and to perform follow up testing in 2008 on buildings that had elevated radon levels. As a result of the original and follow-up testing, radon mitigation systems were installed at Marine Elementary in the fall of 2008 and Lake Elmo in the spring of 2009. Follow-up testing done in partnership with the MN Department of Health in 2010 and 2011 confirmed the elevated levels were lowered below the Environmental Protection Agency guidelines of 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter of air).

During the 2012-2013 school year our operations staff tested Andersen, Lake Elmo and Marine Elementary using continuous radon monitoring devices provided by MN Department of Health. The tests were taken to monitor the district’s installed radon mitigation systems. At that time, none of those facilities had elevated levels of radon.

Safe Drinking Water

Our district follows the state's model plan for reducing lead in drinking water. This ensures that each building will be tested for lead in drinking water at least once every five years and results shall be communicated with the public. Results from the most recent round of testing in 2018-2019 are available below. The next round of testing will be completed during the 2023-2024 school year.

Water Safety in Elementary Schools

Afton-Lakeland Elementary

Testing Date: 5/5/2023

Forty-three samples were collected. Six were less than or equal to 20 ppb but greater than 2 ppb. All other results were less than 2 ppb or none detected. View Report
Corrective Action: No action necessary, retesting on 8/23/2023

Andersen Elementary

Testing Date: 5/5/2023

Thirty-four samples were collected. One was greater than 2ppb. View Report
Corrective Action: No action necessary

Brookview Elementary

Testing Date: 5/4/2023

Eighty-Six samples were collected. None were above 20 ppb, six were less than or equal to 20 ppb but greater than 2 ppb. All other results were less than 2 ppb or none detected. View Report
Corrective Action: No action necessary

Lake Elmo Elementary

Testing Date: 5/4/2023

Sixty-four samples were collected. Six were above 20 ppb, thirty-six were less than or equal to 20 ppb but greater than 2 ppb. All other results were less than 2 ppb or none detected. View Report
Corrective Action: Retesting 8/23/2023, water labeled not for drinking on the six that were above 20ppb, and water flushed for three minutes each day prior to student arrival.

Lily Lake Elementary

Testing Date: 5/5/2023

Sixty-three samples were collected. Four were above 20 ppb, thirty-six were less than or equal to 20 ppb but greater than 2 ppb. All other results were less than 2 ppb or none detected. View Report
Corrective Action: Resting 9/7/2023, water labeled not for drinking on the six that were above 20ppb, and water flushed for three minutes each day prior to student arrival.

Rutherford Elementary

Testing Date: 11/18 & 12/18

Three (3) out of fifty-one (51) collected water samples were above the recommended limit of 20 ppb. These taps included two kettles and the spray wand located within the kitchen. View Report.
12/18 update
Corrective Action: Per Facilities Manager, these three (3) sources shall be cleaned (i.e. aerators/screens) and resampled. In the meantime, these taps were marked “water not for drinking.”
Update: the aerator was cleaned on the spray wand located in the kitchen and was resampled on December 18, 2018. Aerator cleaning was an effective method of reducing first and flush draw sampling to below the action level of 20 ppb. No additional action necessary for this tap. As for the two (2) kitchen kettles, Nutrition Services was notified to run the water for at least 30 seconds to significantly reduce lead levels.

Stonebridge Elementary

Testing Date: 5/4/2023

Forty-seven samples were collected. three were above 20 ppb, nineteen were less than or equal to 20 ppb but greater than 2 ppb. All other results were less than 2 ppb or none detected. View Report.
Corrective Action: Retested 8/23/2023, water labeled not for drinking on the three that were above 20ppb, and water flushed for three minutes each day prior to student

Water Safety in Middle and High Schools

Oak-Land Middle School

Testing Date: 11/18

One (1) out of forty-six (46) collected water samples was above the recommended limit of 20 ppb. The elevated tap was a sink faucet located within Instrument Storage 147. Science and art room sink faucets were not tested; District posted signage on such fixtures stating, “water not for drinking.” View Report.
Corrective Action: The sink faucet located within Instrument Storage 147 was marked “water not for drinking.”

Stillwater Middle School

Testing Date: 11/18 & 12/18

Three (3) out of fifty-five (55) collected water samples were above the recommended limit of 20 ppb. A sink faucet located in FACS Classroom 180W (northwest wall), a sink faucet located in Classroom 104S, and a sink faucet located in Classroom 190W had elevated lead in drinking water levels. Science and art room sink faucets were not tested; District posted signage on such fixtures stating, “water not for drinking.” View Report.
12/18 Update
Corrective Action: Per Facilities Manager, these three (3) sink faucets shall be cleaned (i.e. aerators/screens) and resampled. In the meantime, these taps were marked “water not for drinking.”
Update: aerators were cleaned on identified three (3) sink faucets and resampled on December 4 & 18, 2018. Aerator cleaning was an effective method of reducing first and flush draw sampling to below the action level of 20 ppb. No additional action necessary.

Stillwater Area High School

Testing Date: 11/18

One (1) out of one hundred and twenty-eight (128) collected water samples was above the recommended limit of 20 ppb. The elevated tap was a sink faucet located in the Media Center Workroom D214. Science and art room sink faucets were not tested; District posted signage on such fixtures stating, “water not for drinking.” View Report.
Corrective Action: The sink faucet located in the Media Center Workroom (D214) was marked “water not for drinking.”

Water Safety in Other District Buildings

Early Childhood Family Center

Testing Date: 11/18

One (1) out of fifty-seven (57) collected water samples was above the recommended limit of 20 ppb. The elevated tap was a sink faucet located within Therapy Room 7. View Report.
Corrective Action: The sink faucet located within Therapy Room 7 was marked “water not for drinking.”

Central Services Building

Testing Date: 11/18

Four (4) samples were collected and all were well below the recommended level of 20 ppb for lead in drinking water. View Report.
Corrective Action: No action necessary.

Oak Park Building

Testing Date: 5/4/2023

Twelve samples were collected. None were above 20 ppb, six were less than or equal to 20 ppb but greater than 2 ppb. All other results were less than 2 ppb or none detected. View Report.
ALC and Boardroom area will be retested after construction is completed in Spring 2024
Corrective Action: No action necessary

Additional Information about Water Safety

Lead in water is the result of leeching from solder, piping and brass fixtures. The longer water stands in a plumbing system, the greater potential there is for lead to leech into a water supply. That means that plumbing fixtures that sit unused overnight and on weekends can have higher lead levels in the water supply.

According to MDH, virtually all reported lead contamination cases are the result of exposure at home. We encourage families to become knowledgeable about the risks of their homes. You can find more information about water safety from the Minnesota Department of Health.

Wellhead Protection

OMS Wellhead Protection Policy

OMS Wellhead Protection Policy

Wellhead Protection

Apr 20 2022

Wellhead Protection

Wellhead Protection plans are designed to prevent drinking water from becoming polluted by managing
potential sources of contamination in the area which supplies water to a public well. States are required
to have wellhead protection programs under the provisions of the 1986 amendments to the federal Safe
Drinking Water Act. A capture zone for the well (called the wellhead protection area) is designated and a
plan is developed and implemented for managing potential contamination sources within the wellhead
protection area. Much can be done to prevent pollution, such as the wise use of land and chemicals.
Public health is protected and the expense of treating polluted water or drilling new wells is avoided
though wellhead protection efforts.

Stillwater Area Public Schools is committed to doing our part in assuring our well water supply remains
safe for our students and for our community. Our goal is to increase public awareness of our well water
supply locations and emphasize the importance of monitoring potential contaminants in these areas.

We would like to encourage everyone to do their part by reporting potential contamination hazards that
could jeopardize the safety of our drinking water. This could include such things as illegal dumping,
tampering with wells, and any other suspicious activities affecting the wellhead area.

Oak-Land Middle School currently operates one well for its water supply purposes. Detailed descriptions
of the geologic and hydro geologic setting of the water supply system, the delineation of the Wellhead
Protection Area and Drinking Water Supply Area, and the well and aquifer vulnerability assessments are
presented in the Wellhead Protection Plan for Oak-Land Middle School. A copy of this plan can be found
at Stillwater Area Public School’s administrative office located at 1875 South Greeley Street Stillwater,
Minnesota. To schedule a review of this plan, please contact Tony Willger, Supervisor of Site Facilities
and Operations, at 651-351-8374.

For more information on Wellhead Protection, please visit:

http://www.mrwa.com/

http://www.health.state.mn.us/

or contact the MDH Source Water Unit at 651-201-4700.