Health Concerns Found SCHOOL DISTRICT LEAD EXCEEDS LIMIT

Lead Exceeds EPA Limit in 5 Areas - Marion Center Area School District (PA)

15 ZIP codes · 9 water systems · 43,900 people served

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA drinking-water data for Marion Center Area School District: 186 EPA violations recorded in the past five years.

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0, EPA SDWIS and UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData, NCES

C · 62
Avg Safety Score (3 ZIP)
15
ZIP Codes
9
Water Systems
186
Violations (5yr) (9 ZIP)
0.0129 mg/L
Avg Lead Level
5
ZIPs Over Lead Limit (8 ZIP)
Zone 1
Radon Risk (15 ZIP)

Why School Water Quality Matters

Children drink 2–4× more water per pound of body weight than adults, making them more vulnerable to contaminants. School water quality affects students for hours every weekday.

Home Safety and Water Evidence Overview

The Marion Center Area School District in Pennsylvania spans 15 ZIP codes. This materialization has canonical Home Safety Scores for 3 ZIP records and typed EPA water violation counts for 9 ZIP records. Missing evidence is not treated as zero.

The deduplicated primary-system served-population sum is 43,900 across 6 water systems. This is not the district resident population.

The average Home Safety Score under model 4.0.0 across 3 scored ZIP records is C (62/100)

  • with the lowest-scoring area at 54/100 .

Water quality in this district falls in the bottom 90% nationally.

Why This Matters for Children

Children are more vulnerable to water contaminants than adults. The EPA and CDC identify these key risks:

  • Lead exposure - Even low levels of lead can affect brain development, reduce IQ, and cause behavioral problems in children. There is no safe level of lead for children.
  • PFAS ("forever chemicals") - Linked to immune system effects and developmental delays in children. Children drink more water relative to body weight than adults.
  • Nitrate - Dangerous for infants (can cause "blue baby syndrome"). Agricultural areas often have elevated nitrate.
  • Disinfection byproducts - Long-term exposure may increase cancer risk. School water fountains often have stagnant water that concentrates these compounds.

Lead Levels in the District

Metric Value EPA Threshold
Average lead level (90th percentile) 0.0129 mg/L 0.015 mg/L
Highest lead level 0.0202 mg/L 0.015 mg/L EXCEEDS
ZIP records exceeding EPA action level 5 of 8 with known status -
Lead action level exceeded in 5 of 8 ZIP records with known status. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that water in schools contain no more than 1 ppb (0.001 mg/L) of lead - 15 times stricter than the EPA action level. Consider requesting lead testing at your child's school.

EPA Violation History

186 monitoring/reporting violations recorded. These are procedural violations (missed tests or late reports), not necessarily water safety issues.

Contaminants of Concern

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based ZIPs Affected
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Disinfection Byproducts 22 No 7
Barium Inorganic 10 No 6
Contaminant 2037 Other 10 No 6
Benzene Organic 10 No 6
Gross Alpha Radionuclides 8 No 6
Radium-226 Radionuclides 8 No 6
Radium-228 Radionuclides 8 No 6
Contaminant 0700 Other 8 No 6

Radon Risk

Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High risk)

14 of 15 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 1. The zone is not a building measurement; homes and school buildings should be tested directly.

Water Facts and Home Safety Score by ZIP Code

ZIP Code City Home Safety Score EPA Violations Health Lead Level Exceeds?
15701 Indiana D (54) 49 0 0.0202 mg/L Yes
15728 Clymer N/A 33 0 0.0202 mg/L Yes
15747 Home N/A 29 0 0.0202 mg/L Yes
15759 Marion Center N/A 29 0 0.0202 mg/L Yes
16256 Smicksburg N/A 20 0 0.0202 mg/L Yes
16222 Dayton N/A 17 0 N/A N/A
15732 Creekside C (64) 9 0 0.00193 mg/L No
15767 Punxsutawney C (67) 0 0 0 mg/L No
15772 Rossiter N/A 0 0 0 mg/L No
15723 Chambersville N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
15739 Ernest N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
15742 Glen Campbell N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
15771 Rochester Mills N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
16211 Beyer N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
16246 Plumville N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

What Parents Can Do

  1. Request lead testing at your child's school - The EPA's 3Ts program (Training, Testing, Taking Action) provides guidance for schools. Ask your school board about their water testing schedule.
  2. Review the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) - Your water utility publishes this annually. It details all detected contaminants.
  3. Consider a water filter for your home - NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58 (reverse osmosis) filters are certified to remove lead. This is especially important for infant formula preparation.
  4. Pack water from home - If you're concerned about school water quality, send your child with a water bottle filled at home (filtered if possible).
  5. Stay informed - Bookmark this page to check for updates on water quality in your school district.

Need help with school water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the water safe in Marion Center Area School District schools?

EPA system-level records associated with Marion Center Area School District show 5 of 8 ZIP records with known status above the EPA lead action level. These records do not measure individual school taps. Parents should request current building-level testing results from the school district.

Does Marion Center Area School District test for lead in school water?

Federal law does not require schools to test for lead in drinking water (except in some states with specific mandates). The EPA's voluntary 3Ts program encourages testing. Contact your school district office to ask about their testing schedule and results.

What level of lead is safe for children?

There is no safe level of lead for children, according to the CDC. The EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L (15 ppb) triggers corrective action for water systems, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that school water contain no more than 0.001 mg/L (1 ppb).

Data Sources

Updated daily.

Home → School Districts → Pennsylvania → Marion Center Area School District

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Lead Exceeds EPA Limit in 5 Areas - Marion Center Area School District (PA). https://zipcheckup.com/schools/marion-center-area-school-district-pa/
BibTeX 
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  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Lead Exceeds EPA Limit in 5 Areas - Marion Center Area School District (PA)}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/schools/marion-center-area-school-district-pa/}
}
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