September 10, 2016
Officials at Rowan University had bad news for its students and faculty this week – they've found more lead in the school's water.
The announcement comes about a week after the university's president, Ali Houshmand, published a letter that said water testing showed elevated iron levels and urged students to not drink from certain water fountains. University officials initially began the testing after discolored water was found in a handful of buildings.
Announced Friday, additional elevated levels were found in some of Rowan's kitchen faucets in its ROTC building, Evergeen Hall and Girard House.
Elevated levels of lead were above 15 parts per billion threshold – the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection's "action level."
Though, the campus-wide tests brought back positive news as well, according a statement released by the university. Officials sampled water coming from buildings on its Glassboro campus, where lead levels were well below the EPA's "action level."
The tests, however, were only preliminary and done with "grab" samples as opposed to "standard protocols for water testing."
"While the latest results are promising, they provide only the broadest view of the quality of water in our buildings," Houshmand said in a statement. "We are working with the water-quality testing firm to develop and implement a comprehensive study of campus."
Houshmand said that the university will ensure it provides students and faculty with filitered water options while further testing is conducted.
Rowan also provides an extensive map that shows water testing results throughout campus found here.
