Lead in the drinking water at public schools is much more common than previously suspected. Six school districts on Long Island have recently found elevated levels in their water.
Very few schools even bothered to test their water until Newark school officials announced in March that they had found high levels of lead in their drinking water.
Prolonged exposure to elevated levels of lead have been shown to increase the risk of learning and behavioral problems.
Representatives from the affected Long Island school districts say they believe the elevated lead levels are caused by the plumbing inside drinking fountains and that they are moving to fix or replace the equipment.
The school districts where drinking water showed elevated lead levels were identified as Valley Stream Central High School,Bayport Blue-Point, Port Washington, and Elwood,Northport East Northport, and Valley Stream 13.
At least 32 Long Island schools have initiated a testing method, and but many of them are on a wait list because there aren’t enough water engineers to depart around.
This story was produced in collaboration with WSHU Radio and NBC 4 unusual York.
Source: wnyc.org