Lead Detected in Water at Several Utah Schools

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Authorities say they’ve found lead in drinking water at several Utah schools, showing the need for more schools to be tested.

Utah Division of Drinking Water director Marie Owens tells the Salt Lake Tribune (http://bit.ly/2wSNN63) that voluntary tests of water at 10 out of 188 schools showed lead concentrations exceeding federal guidelines.

Seven of those were schools were in the Salt Lake City area’s Granite School District. Spokesman Ben Horsley says the problems are related to their older buildings, and those aging pipes have since been flushed. A planned remodeling project could also be a long-term solution if a bond is approved to fund it.

Box Elder School district had two schools with high lead tests. The last school was in eastern Utah’s Coalville, where a single sink caused the problem.