Bottled Water for All Portland Public Schools After Tainted Water Found

Two months after finding elevated lead levels at two schools, PPS is shutting down all its water fountains for remainder of the school year.

By Rachel Monahan

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Portland Public Schools will provide bottled water for students and staff for the remainder of the school year.

District officials announced Friday night they would shut down schools' water fountains by 10 p.m. Friday night.

The district attributed the decision to tests results from Creston K-8 and the Rose City Park building. The tests, however, were conducted upwards of two months ago.

The results only became public this week.

Earlier Friday, Superintendent Carole Smith admitted that the district had failed to turn off the water supply to fountains and sinks even after the district knew the results.

Here's the statement from Smith late Friday evening.

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Rachel Monahan

Rachel Monahan

Rachel Monahan joined Willamette Week in 2016. She covers housing and City Hall.

Willamette Week reports the stories worth knowing, from City Hall to the people and places shaping Portland.

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