19 Detroit Schools Test Positive For Lead In Water; Officials State They'll Flush System
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - Initial test results have found that 19 Detroit schools have tested positive for some level of copper or lead in the water system.
Letters have been sent to parents, notifying them of the problem, and school officials are taking immediate action to "flush" the system.
In the meantime, bottled water will be brought into the schools until the problem can be resolved.
Lead in the water has been an health issue in Michigan as residents in Flint were exposed to dangerous levels of lead when the city disconnected from the Detroit Water System and started using water from the Flint River.
Today, the state Legislature approved an extension for the city of Flint and Genesee County will remain under a state declaration of emergency for up to the next four months. The state and federal declarations are now in effect until August 14.
Prior to the January 5 state declaration of emergency, the state authorized $9.3 million for the city of Flint to connect back to Detroit water as well as provided faucet filters and blood lead level testing for residents and public awareness of state-funded resources available. Since the declaration, the state has already committed an additional $67 million in state funding.
Keep it here and at WWJ.com for live and local updates on this developing story.
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