Facilities

Welcome to the School Facilities Department!

The Waltham School Facilities Department recognizes its responsibility to provide a clean and safe environment for the students, staff, and visitors to the Waltham Public School buildings.  Students and staff thrive in an orderly, clean, and safe environment. Classrooms that are well ventilated, suitably lighted, and properly maintained actually facilitate learning.

Our goal is to maintain, renovate and/or construct School Buildings in an efficient, economical, high quality and friendly manner which supports the educational mission of Waltham Public Schools.  

Asbestos Inspections

The EPA requires public schools to perform re-inspections of asbestos materials every three years by accredited asbestos inspectors. An accredited management planner reviewed the results of the re-inspections and made recommendations to safely manage asbestos material in our buildings. In addition, the Waltham Facilities Department has an AHERA Designated Liaison that re-inspects every 6 months to monitor and make known the condition of any and all previously inspected materials. 

The results of the inspections and re-inspections are on file in the Waltham Facilities Department.

Copper and Lead Testing

The Waltham Public School’s Facilities Department along with the city’s Water Department collected water samples from each school plus the Community and Cultural Center (510 Moody St) before the start of the 2016-17 school year. The samples were sent for analysis at the MWRA (results attached).

All results were found to be below the action level for copper (>1300) and lead (>15) except 3 water fountains at the High School, which were removed. We are currently flushing the High School water system daily. Also, several fountains at the Community and Cultural Center (where the Dual Language Program is housed) were above the action level for lead. These fountains have been capped by the city. We are currently providing students with bottled water at that site.

All test results are linked below, and a copy of the results are on file at WPS Central Office.

Water Testing: Elementary Classrooms

In a continued effort to assess our water fixtures, the Facilities Department began a rigorous sampling of all water fountains and faucets in every school. In November and December the Facilities Department undertook the testing of all elementary drinking fixtures that were attached to each faucet in every classroom.  All elementary classroom drinking fixtures came back below action levels except (3) at the MacArthur School. We immediately capped the (3) drinking fixtures and are in the process of retesting. You can find all results for MacArthur school here.

Follow up on Water Re-Testing Notification

The Facilities Department has retested the water at both the MacArthur and the Community & Cultural Center and all test results have come back below action level.  At the MacArthur School three classroom sinks were replaced.  At the Community and Cultural Center water filtration systems were added to the four bubblers that originally tested high, results with the filters came back normal.  Please see the links below for the new test results.  

Water Testing: MacArthur Elementary School/Retest Results

Lead and Copper in Drinking Water FAQ

Lead in Drinking Water
A fact sheet that answers frequently asked questions about lead and drinking water.

Copper in Drinking Water
A fact sheet that answers frequently asked questions about copper and drinking water.

Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
Correspondence related to the Assistance Program for Lead in School Drinking Water.

Building Rental Resources