Lead In NYC Schools: Reps Call For More Data On Lead Levels

DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Politicians representing lower Manhattan are calling on New York City's education department to release more data about the lead level in local schools. (For more neighborhood news from lower Manhattan, sign up for Patch's free, real-time news alerts here.)

The coalition of five politicians, including NY state senator Daniel Squadron, penned a letter to NYC schools chancellor Carmen Fariña asking for the city's education department to publicize more data on lead testing results in schools in lower Manhattan. The letter, first published by Downtown Express after the news outlet reported that multiple schools in downtown Manhattan had found elevated lead levels in certain water sources.

"Parents can rest assured that water in schools is safe for students and staff to drink," department spokeswoman Toya Holness said in a statement to DNA Info. "Any drinking or cooking water fixture with results over 15ppb is immediately taken offline and remediated. The safety of students and staff is our top priority and we have rigorous testing and remediation protocols in place."

This post will be updated.

Lead image via Dschwen on Wikimedia Commons.