Update Sept. 21 at 5:53 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional information from the University and UNC Media Relations. 

Lead has been detected in drinking fountains in six campus buildings this month, according to emails sent to building occupants and further confirmed by a University spokesperson.

The affected buildings include Hamilton, Fordham, Manning and Phillips Halls as well as South Building. An additional drinking fountain and several sinks in Wilson Library were also found to contain lead, adding to a previous announcement by the University on Sept. 1.

After the announcement on Sept. 1, additional testing was completed and detectable levels of lead have now been found in four drinking fountains and 14 sinks.

One drinking fountain on Fordham Hall's third-floor yielded over 44 times the detectable lead threshold set by the Environmental Protection Agency, requiring action to take place. In Hamilton Hall, a fifth-floor fountain had nearly 27 times the threshold for action, and in South Building, a fountain had 34 times that amount.

UNC has removed the fountains from service, posted signs instructing them not to be used and will eventually be replaced, the University said. 

In contrast to the previous campus-wide announcement sent on Sept. 1 regarding Wilson Library, letters about the subsequent lead detections were only sent to the occupants of the buildings. The letters were sent on Monday by the Office of Environment, Health and Safety. 

Lead in the water may be due to corrosion of lead plumbing materials within fountain and sink components, according to the letters.

"EHS is reviewing the University’s drinking fountain inventory for older model fountains that may contain lead components," a University spokesperson said. "Water fountains are being prioritized to test based on this criterion."

If traces of lead are discovered, fixtures will be removed and building occupants will be notified.

Powell Marshall, director of UNC Facilities Shared Services, said only "trace amounts" of lead had been discovered, according to emails obtained by The Daily Tar Heel sent to the occupants of Hamilton and Fordham Halls. 

However, many lead samples exceeded the threshold of 15 parts per billion (ppb) — the amount set by the EPA requiring water systems to take action. 

On the third floor, a drinking fountain initially had non-detectable levels of lead. The second flushing resulted in a sample of 662 ppb, over 44 times the threshold.

On the second floor, a drinking fountain contained 5.8 ppb on first flush and 34 ppb on the second.

On the fourth floor, a drinking fountain contained 2.8 ppb on first flush and 7.2 ppb on the second.

On the fifth floor, a drinking fountain contained 9.6 ppb on first flush and 402 ppb on the second, nearly 27 times the threshold's guidance.

A basement drinking fountain initially had lead levels of 4.5 ppb. The second test yielded no detectable levels.

A first-floor drinking fountain had 26.3 ppb initially, and after further testing resulted in 4.1 ppb of lead.

A basement drinking fountain detected 515 ppb of lead first, then resulted in 254 ppb. 

In total, four drinking fountains and 14 sinks were found to have detectable levels of lead. Further testing was completed after the University announced on Sept. 1 that three water fountains had detectable levels of lead, including a second-floor fountain with 193 ppb. 

In Wednesday statement to The Daily Tar Heel,  UNC Media Relations said the University is working on a system to allow anyone seeking a lead test to access one. However, UNC is currently prioritizing testing for adults who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Media Relations said employees with health-related concerns can contact the University Employee Occupational Health Clinic at 919-966-9119. Students with health concerns can contact Campus Health at 919-966-2281.

Visitors or other Chapel Hill residents are advised to contact their health care providers.

The University has also created a page on the Environmental, Health and Safety website that focuses on campus drinking water, the safety status of the water and community updates.

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