Elevated lead levels found and resolved at Lakenheath Elementary School Published Nov. 1, 2024 By Airman 1st Class Delanie Brown 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs RAF Lakenheath, England -- On October 30, 2024, water testing conducted by the Bioenvironmental Engineering team at Royal Air Force Lakenheath identified elevated readings of lead found in faucets at Lakenheath Elementary School. 154 faucets were tested and 14 were found to be above the legal limit of 20 ug/l. The Air Force has already replaced the 14 faucets exceeding legal limits. It is highly unlikely that any children will experience any effects from drinking water from LES. Primary risks to health occur through long-term exposure to lead over months or years. However, parents who have concerns are encouraged to contact their child’s doctor for screening. Bioenvironmental engineers will flush the system, and the site will be re-tested to confirm compliance within regulatory standards. Water and service lines feeding into the facility are not affected and remain safe. Lead testing is required for any Air Force-owned youth facilities or Department of Defense Education Activity schools built prior to 2014. Bioenvironmental engineering will test all child daycare centers, youth centers, and other schools in the Tri-base area to ensure community-wide compliance. Previous testing at other locations indicates the risk of noncompliance remains low.