Community partners assist Steel Valley with lead, radon testing

Thanks to the assistance of community partners and local organizations, the Steel Valley School District has taken several steps recently to ensure it is providing a clean, healthy environment for students and staff as well as to create a positive environmental impact on the community.

Women for a Healthy Environment partnered with the district as part of its Healthy Schools Recognition Program. The program recognizes school districts that take steps toward a green and healthy learning environment. Thanks to a grant provided by WHE, the district was able conduct tests for lead in water throughout the district and make any remediations necessary, as well as to test for radon in district buildings.

There were 53 radon tests placed throughout district facilities and every test showed very low levels of radon. The results stated that no action is required for the district. The Pennsylvania Department of Department of Environmental Protection recommends large buildings be tested every five years.

There were 40 lead samples taken throughout the district. Women for a Healthy Environment recommends action if lead concentration registers above 5ppb, and four water sources were above 5ppb. In response, filters were installed in the pool area at the high school, a bottle filler was replaced at Park Elementary, a new faucet and filter were installed in the nurse’s office at Park Elementary, and a new cooler and bottle filler was installed at the field house.

Thanks to funding from the Allegheny County Health Department Clean Air Fund, Tree Pittsburgh and Steel Valley will be working throughout the community to plant trees on school campuses, in community parks, and on public properties over the next few years. This will provide a range of educational opportunities for students across all grade levels, as well as adult tree care education for individuals from the community. This will also include a partnership with The Pittsburgh Study for air quality testing and research, and a cooperation with Women for a Healthy Environment to develop curriculum for an afterschool program.