Detroit drinking water— turned off at the Detroit public schools. The school superintendent has turned off the drinking water due to concerns about contamination.
Supt. Nicolai Vitti has ordered the drinking water at all of the Detroit Public Community schools turned off for the start of the school year next week, as a result of recent test results showing some of the schools with higher-than-acceptable levels of lead and-or copper.
Vitti says in a statement that he ordered water testing in the spring, which found higher than acceptable levels of lead or copper in 16 schools. The water was turned off in those schools and bottled water brought in.
Now, Vitti says the total number of schools with problem water is 34. 10 of those schools were using a filtration system and were shut off last year. The latest test results are at 16 schools, and 8 schools showed concerns in the spring.
All of the schools will have the drinking water turned off out of an abundance of caution, he says. Bottled water or water coolers will be brought in. Mayor Duggan has agreed to work on solutions.