NEW YORK (Sputnik) — Increased levels of lead have been found in water sources in more than two-dozen schools in the state of New Jersey, the US Department of Environmental Protection said in a statement on Wednesday.
"A total of 30 school buildings recorded levels ranging from non-detect to above EPA’s [Environmental Protection Agency] action level for lead, which is 15 parts per billion," the statement noted. "The Newark public schools system has temporarily shut off all drinking water fountains at the schools where elevated levels of lead were recorded."
Drinking water fountains in the schools will remain shut off until further tests can be conducted, the Department of Environmental Protection noted.
According to the US Center for Disease Control, at least four million households have children living in them that are being exposed to high levels of lead.
Recently, lead contamination in the water supply of Flint, Michigan gained national and international attention after local officials had refused to disclose to the public that the water was tainted.
The head of EPA’s Midwest region, Susan Hedman, resigned last month over the Flint water crisis.