The drinking water in more than half of Detroit public schools has unsafe levels of copper and lead, recent testing determined.
The Detroit Public Schools Community District said Wednesday that 57 of 106 schools in the system tested positive for copper and/or lead in drinking water.
Another 17 schools are awaiting results, the Associated Press reported.
The school district initiated the testing last year to "ensure the safety of the students," the Detroit News reported.
"This (testing) was not required by federal, state or city law," the school district said.
"As you know, drinking water in these schools was discontinued as we await water test results for all schools.
Although the kitchen water has only been turned off in schools where levels were determined high, we have been using bottled water to clean food in all schools," Detroit Superintendent Nikolai Vitti told the Detroit News.
(MORE: Michigan Official to Stand Trial for Deaths in Flint Water Crisis) The results at the Detroit schools come on the heels of a lead-tainted water crisis in Flint, Michigan, located some 70 miles to the northwest.
Numerous children became ill after the city failed to properly treat corrosive river water in 2014 and 2015, allowing lead in old pipes to contaminate the water in homes and businesses.
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