DRINKING WATER SAFETY AT BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

This year's water testing began on October 19, 2020, and is ongoing at this time. We are not only testing for lead, copper but also for Legionella. This year BPS continued to employ Trace Analytical to secure water samples at each of our buildings. All sampling is done in accordance with the recommendations/Guidelines as provided by the MDEQ. Sampling results are available below as they come into the district. Legionella testing was done at EMSL analytical Inc. after samples gathered by Trace. We have had some positive results of Legionella and we are asking everyone to bring in their own drinking water or they can get bottled water on-site through Food Service.

BOTTLE FILLING STATIONS

Bottle filling stations have been taken off-line and should not be used until negative results at your building are received. After the negative results are received we can remove all bags or caution tape from them and begin using them again. Results by building will be posted below.

SHOWERS

All district showers should not be used until your building's report shows a negative result. See reports below.

2020 LEGIONELLA TESTING

BPS is working with Trace Analytical and EMSL Analytical Inc. to test District-wide. Because of the Pandemic, our buildings have been shut down for an extended time with little use. All the water piping in the building and with little use the water had become stagnant. We have and will continue to flush water lines daily. We are also heating up boilers and hot water tanks to at least 140 degrees as part of the recommended remediation process. BPS has also contracted with Arch Environmental to map water sources by building district-wide. This will be instrumental if remediation is needed. BPS has also hired Elin Betanzo with Safe Water Engineering to help us navigate through the results and possible remediation.

WHAT IS LEGIONELLA? 

Legionella is a bacterium that can cause Legionnaires’ disease, Pontiac fever, and more rarely, extrapulmonary infections, collectively known as legionellosis. People can get Legionnaires’ disease or Pontiac fever when they breathe in small droplets of water in the air that contains Legionella. Legionella occurs naturally in freshwater environments, like lakes and streams. It can become a health concern when it grows and spreads in human-made building water systems. There are many strains of commonly occurring Legionella. Most are considered pathogenic, but most disease is caused by Legionella pneumophila, particularly serogroup 1.2

RESULTS

As we test and results are available, we will be addressing areas of concern. We will be doing repairs and remediation if needed.

The Adult Transition Program
TRACE Legionella Lab Report 12/26/2020 
TRACE Lead and Copper Lab Report 
Legionella Lab Report 1/14/21 (Non-detected) 

Admin. EAC
TRACE Legionella Lab Report 11/14/20 (Non-Detected)
TRACE Lead and Copper Report  11/07/20

Beverly
TRACE Lead and Copper Report 12/15/20
TRACE Legionella Lab Report  12/13/20 
Legionella Lab Report 1/14/21 (Non-Detected) 
Legionella Sample Analysis 7/14/21 (Non-Detected) 

Bingham Farms
TRACE Lead and Copper Report 11/11/20
TRACE Legionella Lab Report 11/24/20 (Non-Detected)
Legionella Lab Report 7/14/2021 (Non-Detected) 

Greenfield
TRACE Legionella Lab Report
TRACE Lead and Copper Report 11/11/20
Legionella Sample Analysis 7/15/21 (Non-Detected)

Harlan 
TRACE Lead and Copper Report 12/08/20
TRACE Legionella Lab Report  12/11/20
Legionella Lab Report 1/19/21 (Non-Detected)

Pembroke
TRACE Lead and Copper Report
TRACE Legionella Lab Report 12/11/20  (Non-Detected) 
Legionella Sample Analysis 7/16/21 (Non-Detected) 

Pierce 
TRACE Lead and Copper Report 12/07/20
TRACE Legionella Lab Report  12/18/20 (Non-Detected)
Legionella Sample Analysis 7/14/21 (Non-Detected)

Quarton
TRACE Lead and Copper Report  12/07/20
TRACE Legionella Lab Report 12/21/20 (Positive)
Legionella Sample Analysis  1/7/21 (Positive)
Legionella Sample Analysis  2/22/21 (Positive)

West Maple
TRACE Legionella Lab Report 12/29/20 (Positive)
TRACE Lead and Copper Report 
Legionella Sampling Analysis 1/11/21 (Positive)
Legionella Sample Analysis  2/22/21 (Positive)

Groves
TRACE Lead and Copper Report 10/26/20
TRACE Legionella Lab Report  11/11/20 (Positive)
Legionella Sampling Analysis  1/4/21 (Positive)
Legionella Sampling Analysis (2/2/21) (Positive)

Seaholm
TRACE Lead and Copper Report 11/3/20
TRACE Legionella Lab Report 11/4/20 (Positive)
Legionella Sampling Analysis 1/4/21 (Positive)
Legionella Sampling Analysis  2/10/21 (Positive)

Midvale
TRACE Legionella Lab Report 11/20/20 (Non-Detected)
TRACE Lead and Copper Report 11/7/20
Legionella Sample Analysis 7/16/21 (Non-Detected)

BCS 
TRACE Lead and Copper Report 
TRACE Legionella Lab Report (12/23/20) 
Legionella Sample Analysis 1/6/21 (Non-Detected)
Legionella Lab Report 1/14/21

Berkshire
TRACE Legionella Lab Report 12/29/20 (Positive) 
TRACE Lead and Copper Report
Legionella Sample Analysis  1/20/21 (Positive)
Legionella Sample Analysis  2/24/21 (Positive) 

Derby 
TRACE Lead and Copper Report 
TRACE Legionella Lab Report 12/22/20 (Positive)
Legionella Sample Analysis 1/12/21 (Positive)
Legionella Sample Analysis  2/24/21 (Positive)

District Pools
Samples Collected 11/12/20
Lead and Copper results 11/11/20
TRACE Legionella Lab Report 11/25/20 (Non-Detected)

Transportation and Facilities 
TRACE Legionella Lab Report 12/29/20 (Non-Detected)
TRACE Lead and Copper Report 12/29/20 (Positive) 
Facilities Legionella Sample Analysis 1/21/21 (Positive)
Facilities Legionella Sample Analysis 2/24/21 (Positive)
Legionella Sample Analysis 7/14/21 (Non-Detected)

BPS Environmental Center
Legionella Sample Analysis (Non-Detected)
Legionella Sample Analysis 7/14/21 (Non-Detected)

District-Wide Bottle Filler Samples