Water coolers replace drinking fountains at Detroit schools after lead detected

September 2018

Detroit public schools students drank from water coolers instead of fountains on the first day of school Tuesday after high lead levels were detected in fixtures at some schools, the Associated Press reports.

Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said last week that water fountains would be shut down across the entire district after new test results showed high levels of lead or copper in some fixtures at 16 schools. Water issues were previously detected in fixtures at 18 more schools.

On Tuesday, the district provided water coolers and bottled water for students.

Vitti told the Associated Press the cost of coolers and bottled water will be $200,000 over two months.