Dear Carolina Community:
Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) has been testing water fixtures since August 2022 after lead was discovered in some water fixtures on campus. We have reached the end of our fourth phase of testing, which means all drinking fixtures across campus have been tested for lead. This process was a comprehensive, campus-wide effort that included multiple units and relied on the input and guidance of our faculty experts. We thank all of those involved for their hard work.
While the testing phase of the process is completed, the remediation and corrective action for drinking fixtures that tested positive for any level of lead continues. If a building has a fixture set to be repaired or replaced, we have ensured there are alternative water fixtures that tested negative for lead available. Once fixtures are repaired or replaced, they are tested once again before they are put back in service.
Blood Lead Level Testing Resources
The University has been providing blood lead level testing to UNC-Chapel Hill faculty, staff and students who work, live or study in the affected buildings. At this time, no one has received a result exceeding the reference range.
Starting April 30, Campus Health will return to the normal billing model in which each student’s insurance will be billed for blood level testing. Additionally, the University Employee Occupational Health Clinic (UEOHC) will no longer offer blood lead level testing for staff and faculty after April 30.
To get tested prior to the end of April, students and post-doctoral fellows should contact Campus Health at 919-966-2281 and faculty and staff should contact the UEOHC at 919-966-9119.
To get tested after April 30, please follow the instructions below.
- For students and post-doctoral fellows:
- Contact Campus Health at 919-966-2281.
- Appointments are generally available within 1-2 days.
- If ordered by a campus medical provider, blood specimens are collected by Campus Health staff and are sent to Campus Health’s reference laboratory, LabCorp, for testing.
- Turnaround time for test results is generally 2-3 days and test results are published on students’ Healthy Heels portal along with any additional instructions from providers based on any elevated lead level results.
- For faculty and staff:
- Contact your primary health care provider
Test Result Archive
At the end of this semester, the lead testing data on the Campus Drinking Water page on the EHS website will be archived and will require ONYEN access. This is similar to how EHS handles other archived testing data.
Future Lead Testing Plans
Moving forward, EHS will conduct lead testing in drinking fixtures in buildings built prior to 2014 every three years. This follows the 2014 revision of the lead-free definition for plumbing fixtures outlined in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Act.
Additionally, EHS will re-test drinking fixtures with detected lead no later than one year after corrective action, including fixtures that were repaired or replaced this past year.
As was done in the past, EHS will continue to test drinking fixtures for lead in newly constructed buildings prior to occupancy, and EHS will test drinking fixtures if it receives water quality complaints about specific fixtures on campus.
Thank you for your patience throughout this process and as we work through the corrective action phase. And many thanks to the faculty experts, student volunteers and staff members who have worked tirelessly throughout this effort.
Any additional questions can be directed to EHS at 919-962-5507.
Sincerely,
George Battle, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Integrity and Risk Management
Cathy Brennan, Executive Director of Environment, Health and Safety