In summary

The Los Angeles Unified School District has a multimillion-dollar project to fix or shut down tainted water fountains. It’s taking calls from other districts seeking advice on how to do the same.

For the first time, school districts statewide are being required to test their water supplies for lead under a new law that went into effect this year. It’s a huge endeavor that could mean further testing and expensive repairs if lead is discovered.

One district, Los Angeles Unified, has been addressing the problem since the late 1980s and is now taking calls from other districts seeking advice. Most recently, L.A. Unified launched a multimillion-dollar project to fix or shut down tainted water fountains. The district will finish the project in the fall.

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Elizabeth Aguilera is an award-winning multimedia journalist who covers health and social services for CalMatters. She joined CalMatters in 2016 from Southern California Public Radio/KPCC 89.3 where she...