Ramon Padilla, Karl Gelles and Shannon Green, USA TODAY DETROIT — Detroit’s city school district is shutting off drinking water to all of its schools after test results found elevated levels of lead or copper in 16 of 24 schools recently tested.
In a statement Wednesday, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti of the Detroit Public Schools Community District said he had initiated water testing in all 106 school buildings in the spring to ensure the safety of students and employees.
"Although we have no evidence that there are elevated levels of copper or lead in our other schools where we are awaiting test results, out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of our students and employees I am turning off all drinking water in our schools until a deeper and broader analysis can be conducted to determine the long-term solutions for all schools," Vitti said.
► April 9: Up to 30,000 Flint kids to be screened for effects of lead in drinking water ► August 2017: 63 million Americans exposed to unsafe drinking water ► December 2016: What the EPA says it’s doing about lead in tap water Both lead and copper leach into drinking water primarily through corroded pipes and other plumbing fixtures, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
The Detroit Free Presswas shadowing Vitti on a day in May when the issue of water quality in the schools came up during a cabinet meeting.
Earlier that day, Vitti had learned that test results at several schools had come back showing elevated lead levels.
The district’s building problems have been a constant source of frustration for Vitti.
Water fountains and other drinking-water sources likely will be shut off at all schools by the end of this week and certainly before the school year begins Tuesday, said Chrystal Wilson, school district spokeswoman.
► April 2016: Lawmakers target lead contamination in drinking water ► March 2016: Excessive lead levels found in 2,000 water systems across all states Detroit’s water department and the regional water and sewer agency for southeast Michigan, the Great Lakes Water Authority, also issued a statement to assure residents that the lead and copper contamination with water in the school buildings do not extend to the pipes that deliver water to customers’ homes.
This isn’t the first time the district has tested school buildings for elevated levels of lead and copper.