This month the University may get the chance to prove that it has gotten the lead out.

Almost a year after lead levels in parts of the University's water supply were found to be above the acceptable federal Environmental Protection Agency limits, the alert could be lifted.

Testing done this month will determine if the University lifts the alert it placed last March in accordance with state Department of Environmental Resources regulations, said Lloyd Niemann, manager and utility systems engineer at the Office of Physical Plant.

Lead levels in the water supply were as high as 59 parts per billion. The acceptable limit is 15 parts per billion.

Niemann said the problem was with some water fixtures that, although made primarily of brass, contain lead themselves and in some cases released dissolved lead into the water.

"If you let water stand without drawing it for a long period of time, it will leach lead from certain fixtures," Niemann said.

Dan Spadoni, community relations coordinator for DER's field operations office in Williamsport, said the University was directed to follow a four-part corrective program.

As part of the program, the University monitored parts of the water supply and began a public education plan that included handing out pamphlets around campus last year.

"What is being done currently is that corrosion-control technique," said Carolyn Szumal, a public affairs specialist for the EPA.

But Mike Dordick (senior-accounting) said the University could do a better job making people aware of the lead contamination.

"There are a lot of ways they could be doing that, but they're not," he said.

Szumal said a violation was issued in February 1992 after the University first failed to report its water-sampling data. When the EPA received the data, the lead levels were found to be above the accepted limit, Szumal said.

For now, the alert is still in effect, but Niemann said he does not perceive a problem with the University's water system. As a precaution, students should let tap water run for a few seconds in the morning. Then water in the system overnight would be flushed out.

"Who takes the first cupful?" he asked. "I don't know anybody who does."