City shuts down Orchard Beach fountain due to high lead levels

The city has shut down a water fountain on the Orchard Beach pavilion after testing showed it has dangerously high amounts of lead in it.

News 12 Staff

May 24, 2019, 4:20 PM

Updated 1,799 days ago

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The city has shut down a water fountain on the Orchard Beach pavilion after testing showed it has dangerously high amounts of lead.
The Parks Department says official tests found the water fountain at Orchard Beach had at least 50 times as much lead as federally permitted, meaning it could be deadly.
The city is shutting down the fountain until it's fully repaired.
The department tested over 3,000 public fountains in the city's parks, with 19 of the 20 worst offenders being located in Queens, but Orchard Beach came in at the top of the list.
The city has been conducting these tests since the beginning of May, and residents will be able to track the testing on an interactive map on the Parks Department website.
The Parks Department sent a statement to News 12, saying, "The goal of our proactive testing program is to make sure no stone is unturned when it comes to protecting our children from lead exposure."


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