19 of 62 Detroit schools tested have elevated lead or copper levels
Parents in two more Detroit Public Schools have received a letter warning them about lead detected in water fountains in the schools.
Detroit Public Schools spokesperson Khrystal Wilson confirms that parents at Vernor Elementary and Carstens Academy have been sent letters warning them of elevated lead detected in water in the school.
Wilson cautions that the precautionary tests detected 'slightly elevated' levels but it was enough to require more testing and for the water fountains to be shut down.
Detroit Public Schools hired a licensed consulting firm, ATC Group, to test the water in elementary schools starting in March with testing in high school and middle schools to come this month.
On Tuesday, it was announced that Bow Elementary tested positive for lead. Plastic was placed over the water fountains and DPS said they were bringing bottles of water for students and staff to drink.
MORE: Detroit's Bow Elementary water tests positive for lead
DPS said late Wednesday that of the 62 schools tested, 19 had elevated lead or copper. So is what happened in Flint happening to children in Detroit? That's the concern some parents have. Parents like Marvin Sellers who has a teacher already who had been giving one of his children water from cups instead of the fountain.
"I know one of my kids teachers won't let them drink out of fountain. period. she's just like that. they drink the little cups of water," Sellers said he also no clue there was a lead issue until he got the letter.
Janice Dudley is a grandparent of a child in the school. She said she's glad the school is doing the testing and alerting them to what's going on.
"If action needs to be taken here like in Flint, they have a heads up on it," Dudley said.
DPS said of the schools that tested high in copper, four have already been retested and cleared.
The Governor's office and DPS officials are reminding parents that there is no law that requires schools to be tested for lead although a spokesman for Gov. Rick Snyder says they're working on it.
Regardless if there's a law or not, Sellers said the testing has to be done.
"I think it should be done in general if they weren't having that issue in Flint because it's involving children. Everything they're getting from the school should be safe."
DPS officials say once the second round of testing results come back, immediate action will be taken and they'll sit down with the city's health department. Then, they'll replace parts or entire faucets, if needed.