Benton Harbor Area Schools relying on bottled water during lead testing


BENTON HARBOR, Mich. – Students in Benton Harbor are drinking bottled water due to lead contamination concerns.

The Benton Harbor Area Schools are currently testing the water supply after higher than allowed lead levels were found in drinking water.

The district is now asking for bottled water donations at the schools for cooking and for drinking while testing is taking place.

"Donations are always helpful.  Our children are consuming about 5,000 bottles of water a day and that’s only keeping up with the distribution but certainly there's a cost associated that we haven't anticipated in the beginning of the year,” said Dr. Robert Herrera, CEO and Superintendent at Benton Harbor Area Schools.

The Sharp Foundation, a non-profit, donated 25 cases of water today for the cause.

"The water that we're donating is going throughout the Benton Harbor school system. They’re dropped off here and then they're distributed throughout the school system when needed," said Gwen Swanigan of Sharp Foundation.

Swanigan started the Sharp Foundation, which aims to help the community.

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