New Jersey: Lead readings cause to water ban in 30 Newark schools, Report

A school district in Newark, New Jersey is shutting off its water fountains after testing found lead in building drinking water, according to state health officials.

Drinking water at 30 schools in Newark tested positive for levels of lead higher than the federal standard, according to a joint announcement from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Newark Public Schools.

The school system said other water sources have been brought in for use.

Of the about 300 testing samples taken at 30 school buildings, 59 had lead levels above the federal government’s threshold level that requires further action, including testing.

Newark parents were notified about the incident in letters from the school system and told not be concerned as drinking water alone is not typically associated with elevated blood lead levels. A help phone line was set up for parents with questions.

Lead exposure, which often has no obvious symptoms, can affect nearly every system in the body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lead has not been found in the water supply of the city of Newark, home to 280,000 residents, the DEP confirmed. Newark is 11 miles (17 km) west of New York City.

Awareness over lead in drinking water was raised by the water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan. Newark is the latest school district to turn off its water supply, following similar actions by schools in Jackson, Mississippi; Ithaca, New York and Binghamton, New York.

On Monday, the DEP said it was notified by the school system that elevated lead levels were detected during annual testing in the district and that it has since requested the system’s past test results.

Agencies/Canadajournal