The Orleans Parish School Board has approved spending $800,000 on installing water filters in public schools to protect students from possible lead contamination.
The approval comes more than a year after the school district first announced a plan to test school water for lead. Reporting by The Lens revealed school officials abandoned the testing plan after a back-and-forth with the Sewerage and Water Board over the amount of lead that should be cause for action.
Eventually, school officials talked to experts who recommended filtering as the best solution. Lead contamination in children can cause behavioral and developmental problems. The New Orleans Inspector General says the city’s water may have elevated lead levels, especially in areas near construction zones.
