BUTLER TWP — Some water fountains in Building 1 at VA Butler Healthcare have been taken out of service because of lead, according to VA officials.

Building 1, the main facility used for most outpatient appointments, was constructed in the 1930s when it was common for pipes, fixtures, and solder joints to contain lead. So while doing regular maintenance this month, officials chose to do metal testing, said Ken Kalberer, health systems specialists.

Of 43 fixtures tested, 11 had elevated lead levels over the standards for drinking water set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

None of the affected fixtures were in patient care areas. No one complained or became ill, Kalberer said.

The 11 fountains were taken out of service and flushed for two minutes in accordance with an environmental consultant’s recommendation, Kalberer said.

The national Centers for Disease Control and the EPA recommend flushing before use as a means of reducing lead content in older plumbing systems, especially when water stands in pipes for hours between use.

After the initial flushing, the pipes were retested and four fountains were below the EPA level, two were at the EPA level, and five were above, Kalberer said.

The pipes needing additional flushing were flushed for 10 minutes and retested. Those results are pending.

All 11 fountains remain out of service.

Kalberer said officials are deciding if they should keep the existing fountains, replace or remove them. They are all in what Kalberer deemed “low use” areas.

“The longer water sits (in a pipe), the greater the risk for leeching of metal,” Kalberer said. “These fountains were in low use areas. That’s why we’re seeing a correlation of those having higher levels. Since they are so low volume, we may just take them out of service.”

The EPA cites young children and pregnant women as being most at risk from lead exposure. The CDC suggests the health risk of lead exposure also depends on the amount of water consumed relative to a person’s body size.