Montreal’s FACE school will be giving students and staff bottled water for the foreseeable future after discovering what seems to be high levels of lead in its drinking water.
The school sent a letter to parents on Thursday informing them of the situation.
The problem was discovered on Monday after the school started undertaking repair work on its plumbing system. The school is in the process of installing new piping for its water fountains.
In the letter, school principal Annie Lamarre called the switch to bottled water a “preventive measure.”
Alain Perron, a spokesperson with the Commission scolaire de Montréal, said it’s not yet known what caused the problem. Only the school’s drinking water has been affected, and its toilets are still functioning.
The decision to close the drinking fountains was made after noticing the water was murky, Perron said. He wasn’t sure if tests had been performed on the water yet to determine the level of lead in it, but said there will be before the fountains are turned back on.
No estimate was given for how long the situation will last.
