Palmerton Area School District officials said this week they are taking a proactive approach to slightly elevated levels of copper discovered in its most recent water testing results at Towamensing Elementary.

Though the Department of Environmental Protection told the district to retest in six months, facilities director Joe Faenza said, Palmerton plans to retest within around two-and-a-half months, after pH levels are adjusted.

“We’re on well water at Towamensing, which changes the game a little bit,” Faenza said. “An outside lab does testing for us several times a year depending on what that particular test is for. On these latest test results, there was no lead elevations found, which was great news.”

Both DEP officials and a professional geologist consulted by the district said future water samples should return to normal at Towamensing with the pH adjustment. If copper levels do not return to normal, Faenza said, the district would have to do a feasibility study, which is about a year-and-a-half process.

“This is a situation that probably every house that has a well and isn’t treating their water has,” Faenza said. “The issue is the water laying in the lines. One of the tests was done in the summer, when there is no water movement at all. DEP keeps telling us run more water and we are trying to move it as much as possible.”

Faenza told Palmerton’s board of directors Tuesday he would report back after the updated test results come back.