An updated version of this story was posted on Oct. 17, 2016 and appeared in print on Oct. 20.

GUILDERLAND — On Friday afternoon, the Guilderland school district received test results showing water in all five elementary schools have lead levels in some outlets above the safety threshold.

Over the weekend, all five buildings will have affected water outlets covered so they cannot be used, or they will be labeled to be used for handwashing only, according to a school news notifier sent out on Friday.

The state is requiring public schools to test all water outlets for lead and to remediate any that test above the threshold of 15 parts per billion. Guilderland’s lead testing results will be posted to the district website on Monday.

Guilderland got a head start this summer when it tested 19 outlets across the district and found measurable amounts of lead contamination in five of the school kitchen tests — all of those levels were below the 15 parts per billion threshold. Those school kitchens were immediately repiped, Neil Sanders, the district’s assistant superintendent for business, told The Enterprise earlier. The plan going forward, he said, was to remediate only the water outlets that show levels above the threshold.

The new mandates were signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sept. 6. All schools serving pre-kindergarten to grade five were required to conduct tests by Sept. 30, while schools serving grades six to 12 must conduct tests by Oct. 30. Schools that tested after Jan. 1, 2015, are exempt. Tests must be conducted at a minimum of every five years.

If lead levels are detected above the action level of 15 parts per billion — a level consistent with federal regulations — schools must discontinue use of the outlet that tested high and must “implement a lead remediation plan to mitigate the lead level, and provide building occupants with an adequate alternate supply of water for cooking and drinking,” the state’s Department of Health told The Enterprise earlier. Schools must report the exceedance to the local health department within one business day.

“Test results must also be provided in writing to all staff and parents no more than 10 business days after receiving the report,” the health department said. “Schools must post the results of all lead testing and any remediation plans on its website as soon as possible but no more than six weeks after the school received the laboratory reports. Once test results indicate that lead levels are below the action level, schools may resume use of the water outlet.”

For levels below 15 parts per billion, the health department said that schools should “take steps to bring the levels to as close to non-detectable as possible.”

Asked about the risks associated with 15 parts per billion in drinking water, the health department responded, “There are many factors that influence a child’s risk for lead poisoning from the presence of lead in water including the amount of water consumed, child’s age and weight, and whether the child has also been exposed to lead from paint, soil, dust or other sources.

“Parents whose children are in the locations where lead was found in the drinking water should ask their children’s health care providers whether blood lead testing would be appropriate for their child. New York State law requires that children receive a blood lead test at age 1 and again at age 2 so most health care providers will have information on your child’s previous blood lead level already.”

The health department also said that, since lead is not absorbed through the skin, bathing and handwashing with water that has lead is not a concern.

Finally, asked about precautions that parents might take, the health department advised, “Before using any water from an outlet for drinking or cooking purposes, it is always advisable, whether at school or at home, to run the tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes until the water is cold to the touch before using.  This allows water that has been sitting in the pipe to run to waste. In addition only water from the cold water tap should be used for cooking or drinking.”