Lead found in 7 Indiana schools' drinking water

HAMMOND, Ind. -- A new round of testing has found lead levels in the drinking water at seven northwestern Indiana schools that exceed the federal action level for the toxic metal.

The School City of Hammond's board heard from a consulting firm Tuesday that drinking water in seven Hammond schools and two other district buildings tested above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's lead action level of 15 parts per billion.

The new testing follows tests conducted last summer that led the district to remove 52 drinking fountains from service in nine schools.

The (Northwest Indiana) Times reports the district is preparing a report on its response to the test results.

Exposure to even low levels of lead can damage a child's developing brain, affecting their IQ, ability to pay attention and academic achievement