Elevated radon levels found at Valley schools

Elevated levels of radon, a naturally-occurring, radioactive gas, have been found in three Valley schools and one Lake Tahoe school.

According to results of a district-wide test, the staff lounge and room 24 at Carson Valley Middle School, room three at Gardnerville Elementary, room G-9 at Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School, and more than half a dozen rooms at Whittell High School contain levels of radon above the EPA's guideline of 4.0 picocuries per liter.

In the Valley, levels marginally exceeded the guideline, ranging from 4.1 picocuries per liter at Carson Valley Middle School to 5 picocuries per liter at Pau-Wa-Lu.

However, the results paint a different picture at Whittell High School. Out 56 locations tested on the site, seven yielded elevated levels, ranging from 4.2 picocuries per liter to 13 picocuries per liter.

Colorado Vintage Companies performed the tests March 16-20 while school was still in session.

"As the report states, based on the number of rooms tested, the eleven rooms noted above are a relatively small portion needing further assessment," District Chief Financial Officer Holly Luna wrote in her report to school board members. "Colorado Vintage Companies recommends additional testing with a Continuous Radon Monitor to more accurately determine the need for mitigation efforts.

"If additional testing continues to show elevated results during times of occupancy, these areas will be more thoroughly investigated to determine proper functioning of the HVAC systems before more in-depth remediation efforts can be ascertained."

Radon, which is produced by decaying uranium in granitic soils, is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers, according to the Nevada Radon Education Program.

But the colorless, odorless gas is nothing new for the Douglas County School District. It was one of the first school districts in the state to test for radon in 1989 when levels were reaching upwards of 25 picocuries per liter.

Last year, elevated levels at Zephyr Cove Elementary School set off a political firestorm when parents, unhappy with the district's decision to close Kingsbury Middle School, argued that Zephyr Cove be closed instead. However, the district was able to work with the EPA and lower radon levels below the guideline before school started last fall.