Two Kids With High Lead Levels Were Not Poisoned at Portland Public Schools

Investigators found the source of the poisoning at home, not at school.

By Rachel Monahan

The two Portland Public Schools students identified in June as having high lead levels got poisoned at home not at school, Multnomah County officials said today.

PPS tested sinks and fountains at the Rose City Park and Creston school buildings this spring, finding elevated lead levels in the drinking water. When the results were made public two months later, the county offered blood screenings for kids and adults. Just two of the 519 people screened showed levels of lead that could pose a serious danger to their health.

For the two kids, both of whom attend class at Rose City Park, county officials conducted their standard investigation of possible sources of the contaminant and identified a source for the lead at the kids' homes. County officials said it was not water that caused the problems.

"We're cautiously reassured that after screening hundreds of children and adults, the only people with elevated lead in their blood were not exposed by drinking water,'' said Dr. Paul Lewis, Multnomah County Health Officer, in a statement.

Full press release from county below:

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