
Elevated levels of lead have been found in about 30 Newark, N.J. public schools, forcing officials to shut off water taps Wednesday (March 9). The city’s communication director Frank Baraff said the city’s water is “perfectly safe” but for now, “Don’t drink the water in any of the schools.”
“The problem is localized in the finite number of schools, and those are the schools that are the oldest and still have lead piping,” Baraff continued.
Despite Baraff and school officials pledging their commitment to total transparency, talk of contaminated water hit too close to home for many abreast on the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. The buildings affected range from high schools to elementary schools.
According to CNN, levels at the 30 locations were well above the Environmental Protection Agency’s so-called action level. Officials at the schools say they have posted signs in the bathrooms to not drink the water, and have also provided bottled water as an alternative.