Goodrich-Water samples taken from the high school recently detected arsenic at a concentrated level exceeding standards or maximum contaminant levels set forth by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The report prompted school officials to provide bottled drinking water beginning Nov. 17 and continuing until the Christmas vacation starting on Dec. 22 says Kim Hart, Goodrich school superintendent.
‘The water is barley over the limit,? said Hart. The water is tested monthly for arsenic for the past three years. The school will resample but it’s unlikely the results will be any different the arsenic was increasing steadily over the past year.?
According to school officials arsenic at 51 parts per billion were discovered after samples were provided to the Genesee County Health Department. A level of 50 parts per billion are currently acceptable.
The bottled water cost the district about $275 for a 10 day supply, says Hart and only the high school will have bottled water, students at the middle school along with Oaktree and Reid elementaries are still using well water.
The arsenic issue should be rectified during the break said Hart when a filtration system will be installed. However, the project cannot start until all the permits necessary from officials are obtained for the installation
The board moved one step closer to meeting those new provisions at the September school board meeting.
At a cost of $91,350 the Goodrich School Board Ok’d Sunshine Water Systems of Linden to provide and install a filtration systems on drinking water supplies. The system filters out arsenic at the point of entry–with large tanks filtering water near the point at which pipes enter a structure’s walls.
New arsenic requirements would only affect Goodrich High School and Oaktree Elementary. Goodrich Middle School and Reid Elementary already meet the 2006 standards.
Currently, the federal Safe Drinking Water Act requires a maximum of 50 parts per billion (ppb) arsenic. As of Jan. 23, 2006, drinking water can contain no more than 10 ppb arsenic.
Changes instituted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are being passed along to each state.States, in turn, are setting standards of compliance for community water systems, as well as for schools and businesses.
Local school officials first learned of impending changes Aug. 21, 2003, when a DEQ-authorized company conducted an arsenic assessment, says Goodrich schools special services director Brian Walton, the school’s designated systems operator.

Major sources of arsenic in drinking water may occur from erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards; or runoff from glass and electronics production wastes. Immediate adverse health effects are not expected however, some people who drink water containing arsenic in excess of the maximum contaminat level over many years could experience skin damage or problems with their circulatory system and may have increased risk of getting cancer.