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School lead filters

Children return to schools without promised water filters to screen lead

After school officials announced they would test school water for lead in 2016, they decided to install filters instead. But the school district has yet to sign a contract with a filter company.

By Marta Jewson | August 14, 2018

School board approves bid for filters to screen lead from drinking fountains

Installation must begin within six weeks of signing a contract, so it probably will stretch into the summer.

By Marta Jewson | April 23, 2018

Almost two years after school officials pledged to protect children from lead in drinking water, they’re still waiting

School district leaders said in July 2016 they would test water. Last year, they decided to install filters instead. But the contract has been delayed.

By Marta Jewson | April 6, 2018

New Orleans schools will wait longer for filters to screen lead from drinking water

The decision to seek filters that screen microbes has raised the cost and delayed installation.

By Marta Jewson | November 29, 2017

School drinking water will be tested for lead — after filters are installed to remove it

If the filters are installed properly, the tests should not detect any lead. School leaders decided not to test the water before installing filters.

By Marta Jewson | October 27, 2017

Orleans Parish School Board plans to spend $800,000 on filters to remove lead from water

School officials planned to test water, but they changed course after the water board raised questions.

By Marta Jewson | October 26, 2017

Plans to test school drinking water for lead were abandoned after water board raised questions

Last fall, school officials announced plans to test water for lead at 10 schools. The city water board argued they should allow more lead in the water before taking action, and a testing consultant wondered whether the water board would challenge his results. The test plans were dropped in favor of filters, which haven’t been installed yet.

By Marta Jewson | October 10, 2017

Here are the school buildings in New Orleans that will get water filters to eliminate lead

About a dozen schools that aren’t in district facilities aren’t included, but they can buy into the contract.

By Marta Jewson | September 1, 2017

Water filters to protect against lead will be installed at most New Orleans schools this fall

School districts sought the filters after dropping a plan to test school water.

By Marta Jewson | August 23, 2017

New Orleans school districts scrapped plans to test water for lead. The new plan: install filters.

A year ago, the two school districts that oversee schools in the city announced they were “proactively” coming up with a plan to test water supplies for lead. But they didn’t act. Now the plan is to install water filters. Meanwhile, kids are back in school.