While the Flint water crisis has sparked concern about drinking water quality all over the nation, Oxford Schools students and parents can rest easy knowing water testing has now been completed throughout the district.

Overall, the results were noted to be ‘acceptable’ throughout the district, with three exceptions.

Two drinking fountains at the high school were found to be outside of the acceptable limit due to age and were replaced promptly, following the testing results.

One fountain at Oxford Middle School was also found to be outside of the acceptable limit, due to age and lack of use, and was removed.

To receive an acceptable rating, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard does not allow lead concentrations to exceed 15 parts per billion (PPB) or copper concentrations to exceed 1.3 parts per million (PPM).

Although this testing was not required, Oxford Schools Director of Maintenance Tony Sarkins said officials wanted to move forward with water testing to be certain of its quality, in light of the Flint water crisis.

“We decided we wanted to be proactive and test our water for copper and lead,” Sarkins said. “We wanted to have definite answers for the water quality from all of the water sources that a student, staff, or community member may drink from.”

Oxford school officials contracted with White Lake-based AquaTest Laboratories Inc. in June, to draw water samples from all drinking fountains and all food preparation stations for testing at Daniel Axford Elementary, Oxford Elementary, Lakeville Elementary, Oxford Middle School and Oxford High School on Aug. 9.

Water sources at Leonard Elementary and Clear Lake Elementary were also tested on Nov. 23 and were all found to be within acceptable limits.

Leonard Elementary and Clear Lake Elementary, the final schools which were tested, both undergo annual county and state testing for lead and copper.

As a precaution, district officials still tested water sources from these schools to reassure the quality of the pipes, faucets and fountains in the buildings.

The testing process cost the district over $4,500 overall, an investment Sarkins and other officials consider well worth the price tag.

“Everything came out pretty good. The copper and lead testing primarily (fell) within limits. We were very happy,” Sarkins added.