DETROIT – Students at 106 schools in Detroit were forced to rely on bottled water Tuesday as they started the school year.
Officials in the Detroit Public Schools Community District found high levels of lead and copper in some schools, so the drinking water has been shut off.
There appears to be an expanded curriculum at Detroit public schools, including classes such as karate at Gardner Elementary School, on the city's west side.
But the students need to stay hydrated, and what's a problem for the schools. Over the summer, the district tested lead and copper levels in the school's drinking water, and some are coming back with high levels.
School officials shut the water off at the schools and brought in bottled water.
More than 50,000 children started Tuesday.
Officials with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department said the water going to the schools meets all safety standards, but the pipes and water fixtures at the schools are old and outdated.