SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Starting Tuesday morning, city officials will be testing the water at San Diego Unified School District schools for lead to make sure it is safe to consume.
According to San Diego Unified officials, the testing of district schools -- as well as charter schools located on district property -- is expected to conclude by mid-June. Testing will be done before the school day begins.
Officials will collect water in one-liter bottles with up to five sources of water from each campus. Sources of water may include drinking fountains, cafeterias and food preparation areas, district officials said.
District officials said:
"The city will analyze the water samples and notify the school district of the results. All results will be posted online as they are received.
If results indicate there is lead above allowable levels, district staff will determine the source of contamination and take appropriate action on a case-by-case basis (e.g., turn off water, replace fixtures and/or make plumbing repairs)."
The effort to test for lead began after a school in the Southcrest area tested positive for lead, bacteria and copper.
Additionally, several schools in San Ysidro had their drinking water shut off due to lead.
Because water to San Diego Unified schools is provided by the city's Public Utilities Department, the department will conduct the tests.
Results of the testing will be posted here: www.sandiegounified.org/drinking-water-sampling-results.
Click here to learn more about lead testing of water in California schools.
