Updated: Two More Boston Schools Exceed Lead Levels in Drinking Water

Boston, MA - Four Boston Public Schools are increasing access to bottle water, after public water fountains were shut down when testing showed they exceeded recommended lead levels.

The original schools, Thomas J. Kenny Elementary School in Dorchester and the Rafael Hernandez K-8 School in Roxbury, have both turned off the impacted fountains — four at the Kenny School and one fountain at Hernandez.

Two more schools also reportedly tested positive for lead in drinking water Tuesday: Boston Latin Academy, where three fountains were shut off, and Dorchester's Richard J. Murphy School, where one was shut down, according to a BPS statement to The Boston Globe.

BPS has notified families of the Kenny and the Hernandez schools about the elevated levels, according a statement released by BPS Monday. They also received emails about how to test their children for possible lead exposure, Fox 25 News reports.

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends drinking water with lead concentrations of no more than 15 parts per billion. Particularly for children, lead in drinking water is a serious concern. Exposure to unsafe levels has been tied to behavioral issues and lower IQs. The issue gained heightened attention this past year, following revelations in Flint, Mich.

"BPS considers the health and well-being of its students and faculty a top priority. BPS Health Services is available to speak with any parents who have concerns, or who may want their children tested out of an abundance of caution," the statement from the school system said, stressing the fact it has proactively gone above and beyond the recommended testing practices.

Already, two-thirds of Boston schools receive bottled water because of concerns about aging pipes, according to Boston's FOX 25. The district recently took steps toward restoring water fountains in schools district-wide.

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