At some Detroit schools, toxins in water reached excessive levels

DPSCD has been using water stations and bottled water while the district determines a permanent means to deliver safe, clean water to students. (Photo: Clarence Tabb Jr., The Detroit News)

As Detroit’s school district develops plans to make drinking water safe inside its buildings, a review of testing data shows one school had more than 54 times the allowable amount of lead under federal law while another exceeded the regulated copper level by nearly 30 times.

The Detroit News reviewed hundreds of pages of water reports for 57 buildings that tested for elevated levels of lead and/or copper in the water to provide a detailed look how excessive the metal levels were in the most elevated sources.

“‎We discontinued the use of drinking water when concerns were identified without any legal requirement to do so, and hydration stations will ensure there is no lead or copper in all water consumed by students and staff," Superintendent Nikolai Vitti told The News in response to the elevated levels.

Infogram: Detroit schools lead, copper levels

The findings come as Vitti will announce Tuesday a long-term plan to get drinking water flowing again inside the 106 Detroit schools after faucets were turned off ahead of the school year. On Monday, Vitti said he and the school board will reveal corporate funders for $2 million in hydration stations he wants to install across the district.

Among the elevated […]

Full article: At some Detroit schools, toxins in water reached excessive levels

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