Detroit schools shutting off drinking water because of lead, copper

Click the link below to view the USA TODAY motion graphic showing how lead can get into your drinking water, and the full story. Ramon Padilla, Karl Gelles and Shannon Green, USA TODAY

The Detroit school district is shutting off drinking water to all of its schools after test results found elevated levels of lead or copper in 16 out of 24 schools that were recently tested.

"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," Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of the Detroit Public Schools Community District, said in a statement Wednesday.

The move came even as officials from the city and the Great Lakes Water Authority sought to assure residents that water provided by the authority is safe to drink — pointing to the district’s infrastructure as the problem. Vitti, who will be creating a task force to determine the cause of the elevated levels and solutions, said he […]

Full article: Detroit schools shutting off drinking water because of lead, copper

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