The Oakland Unified School District has some good news that students, teachers, parents and staff can literally taste.
In 2024, the district found elevated lead levels in faucets, sinks, and fountains at more than 40 schools.
Initially, staff, students, and their families were unaware of how widespread the problem was.The district initiated a program to test water levels. It also began repairing and replacing water fountains and filtering stations, while also keeping school communities informed. This included the creation of an online water quality testing dashboard, which is updated every morning.At a meeting last month, district officials announced that the problem is almost solved.
The Oaklandside reports that only two faucets and fountains, out of thousands, remain out-of-service because of lead contamination.
