Friday afternoon, Milwaukee Public Schools released lead testing results taken from drinking fountains in all district schools and buildings.
Samples were taken at 3,000 water fountains. 183 had levels above EPA standards.
A spokesperson for MPS says fixtures that tested above EPA standards were immediately turned off and will be replaced.
"The City of Milwaukee Health Department has aggressively worked to reduce children's exposure to lead hazards, and can report that we are seeing the lowest levels on record today. As we work to drive down rates even further, we applaud MPS in taking a leadership role by conducting voluntary testing and providing the results to our community," stated Commissioner of Health Bevan K. Baker. "The City of Milwaukee Health Department worked collaboratively with MPS to develop a testing protocol that can be used as a model by other schools and school districts everywhere."
According to the City of Milwaukee Health Department, the primary source of lead exposure in Milwaukee is through lead-based paint hazards found in homes. Additional sources of lead exposure can be through drinking water, soil, food, toys, and other sources.
The test results can be found here.
The school district began testing for lead over the summer as a precautionary measure. Currently, state and federal regulations do not require schools to test drinking water.
