As an alumnus of Granby Jr./Sr. High School and current student at the University of New Hampshire, I am concerned with the present issue involving the water quality at GHS, and the way in which the issue is being handled.
My younger sister attends GHS, which is why the situation is so important to me. I’m concerned about her health. Recently, an unsafe amount of lead was discovered in the water pipes at Granby Jr. Sr. High School; while 15 parts of lead per billion is the maximum for safe drinking water, GHS has 97 parts per billion. The school failed to submit its water quality testing results, which unfortunately kept the town in the dark about the issue.
The EPA has identified the following effects as symptoms of long-term lead exposure: physical, mental and developmental delays as well as ADHD and learning disabilities in children, and high blood pressure and kidney problems in adults.
As of now, the contaminated water fountains are shut down, but the students are not provided with free bottled water. Students are left with the options of buying their water, bringing water from home, or going without it all day.
While GHS has shared information about the issue with faculty, students and concerned family members, it is still unclear why the water quality was neglected and how the problem had remained unresolved. It is the school’s responsibility to offer clean drinking water to its students, and because it has failed to do so, there should be further actions taken to provide safe water to the students of Granby Jr./Sr. High School.
Noah Parent
Granby