More DPS lead concerns, 1 school with 100 times higher than safety level

DETROIT (WJBK) -
More concerns tonight over lead inside Detroit Public Schools as testing at one showing levels 100 times higher than what's considered safe.

"It's overwhelming, it really is," said Jackie Bradley, a DPS parent.

Parents walked into Clark Academy on Friday holding bottles of clean water, worried their young children who attend Detroit Public Schools have been drinking water with unsafe levels of lead or copper.

"They say their main priority is the kids but how are kids the main priority when they can't even drink the water," said parent Leonard Bailey.

On Friday the executive director of Detroit's Health Department urged parents to test all kids under the age of 6 for lead, even if they don't attend Detroit Public Schools.

"Just overall, you know the Flint thing, it's just too much," Bradley said.

As 19 of 62 schools have tested positive for slightly elevated lead or copper, the results at Ronald Brown academy on East Outer Drive show levels 100 times higher than what is considered safe.

"We're concerned about it like parents are," said Michelle Zdrodowski, Detroit Public Schools. "We are working on it as quickly as possible to address it."

It is well-known high levels of copper and lead exposure can cause a number of health problems including developmental issues in kids,  DPS officials insist that while the preliminary tests are showing higher levels -- what they're calling "flush tests" -- are not.

"Those are indicating in a lot of cases that the lead or copper level is non-detect or below the thresholds," Zdrodowski said.

DPS and city health officials say it is not the water flowing into the buildings but likely old pipes and faucets causing the issue.

"It could be the fixture it could be the fact that water has sat for a little bit of time," Zdrodowski said.

Once the second round of test results come back, DPS and the health department have 15 days to come up with an action plan.

"We didn't want to stick our head in the sand, we did this proactively," Zdrodowski said.

Meanwhile these parents are not waiting any longer.

"If something is going on I want to get it together before it gets worse," Denise Bowden said.

"Right now I'm making an appointment and getting my grandbabies tested," said Natahalina Thomas, a DPS grandparent and get it together. It's sad."

DPS officials say they're scheduling a meeting with the health department next week and testing will begin for middle and high schools within the next two weeks.