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Portland Commissioner Amanda Fritz and Mike Abbate, director of Portland Parks & Recreation, discuss a 2014 bond measure to pay for repairs.

(Brad Schmidt/The Oregonian)

Portland parks officials from the top down remained silent Monday about their slow response to high lead levels found in drinking water at a city-owned building that serves children and seniors.

Portland Parks & Recreation announced Sunday that testing from 2011, 2012 and 2013 recorded high lead levels in 11 water samples collected at the Multnomah Arts Center. Officials acknowledged that they didn't take immediate corrective steps but a spokesman said no interviews would be granted until Monday to discuss the breakdown.

But on Monday, parks officials -- including the director, Mike Abbate -- declined to be interviewed or directly answer written questions about the situation.

"At this time Director Abbate is not granting interviews and there's no new information," spokesman Mark Ross said in a text message. Ross later said no one at the bureau would be available for interviews Monday.

The Oregonian/OregonLive first asked Portland Parks & Recreation about lead testing Friday. Ross said the bureau doesn't perform widespread testing but didn't release other information, saying it would be forthcoming.

Information disclosed Sunday showed that parks officials found high lead levels in each of five rounds of testing at the Multnomah Arts Center from 2011 to 2013. The building, at 7688 S.W. Capitol Highway in Multnomah Village, serves children and seniors.

The highest lead results, from a drinking fountain, registered at 62.5 parts per billion -- four times higher than the federal "action level." Nine of the 11 high samples were collected in 2012 or 2013, after Abbate was named the director.

It's still not clear what improvements were made -- the bureau said "some corrective actions" were taken at sinks by 2013 -- or why those improvements weren't made sooner.

Ross on Monday declined to directly answer questions about the "corrective actions" or which water outlets received improvements.

"PP&R continues to look into what exactly transpired and when, and our careful review will answer those questions," Ross wrote generally in an email responding to written questions from The Oregonian/OregonLive. "When we determine the timeline of tests at the priority sites we outlined, we will post that information."

As of last Tuesday, officials installed or replaced water filters at the Multnomah Arts Center although bureau "leadership" didn't learn about the past testing until "late" Friday -- three days after the work had been completed, according to the city.

Ross declined to directly answer questions from The Oregonian/OregonLive about which specific officials are considered "leadership," when on Friday they specifically learned about the issue, or who approved last week's work to install or replace filters.

It's not clear if the recently installed filters have made a difference in water quality. Ross did not directly answer when follow-up testing will be completed or results will be publicly released, although he said it would happen "as quickly as possible."

Commissioner Amanda Fritz, who oversees Portland Parks & Recreation, declined an interview request Sunday.

Ross did not directly answer how many other parks facilities, if any, have been previously tested for lead.

City officials have not announced whether they plan to conduct widespread testing at all park facilities.

-- Brad Schmidt

503-294-7628

@cityhallwatch