December 16, 2025 

Dear Parents and Guardians,

At Valley Stream School District 30, the safety and well-being of our students and staff are always our top priority. We are writing to share information regarding recent drinking water testing in our schools and to clarify questions that may have arisen following recent media reports about lead testing in school districts across the region.

OUR TESTING RESULTS AT VALLEY STREAM 30

Valley Stream 30 completed all required testing September 2025 in all our schools’ drinking water outlets and we are in full compliance with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) regulations, including the recently updated action level of 5 parts per billion (ppb).

ALL DRINKING WATER OUTLETS AVAILABLE FOR STUDENT AND STAFF USE IN VALLEY STREAM 30 ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH CURRENT NYSDOH STANDARDS. 

Any outlet that is not intended for drinking has already been clearly labeled, and appropriate safeguards remain in place in accordance with NYSDOH guidance.

TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESS TO RESULTS

Families may view detailed lead testing results by school building on our website here:

• Valley Stream #30

These steps ensure that students and staff only have access to drinking water that meets state safety standards.

ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR WATER SYSTEMS

In addition to meeting current requirements, the district continues to modernize its facilities to ensure long-term water quality:

• All buildings are equipped with filtered bottle-filling stations.
• Additional filtered water stations will be installed where warranted if there is an identified need in new or existing locations

WHY SCHOOLS CONDUCT “FIRST DRAW” TESTING

New York State requires schools to perform what is known as “first draw” testing. This testing method samples water that has been sitting in pipes for an extended period of time, such as overnight, over weekends, or during school breaks. Because water can absorb trace amounts of lead while sitting in plumbing, first draw testing helps identify outlets that may require attention. Even though first draw results may not reflect water used continuously during the school day, the process allows districts to proactively identify and address any potential concerns.

QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

If you have questions regarding the district’s lead testing program, please contact:

Michael DeLuca
Director of Facilities and Operations
mdeluca@vs30.org

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

• For information about lead in school drinking water, go to:
  • Health Department NYS
  • NYS Department Health
• For information about NYS DOH Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, go to:
  • Health Department NY

• For more information on blood lead testing and ways to reduce your child’s risk of exposure to lead, see “What Your Child’s Blood Lead Test Means”:
  • Health Department Publications (English) 
  • NY Health Education Materials

(available in ten languages).