Testing Starts At 13 Newark Schools With Lead Contaminated Water

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Water testing started Saturday at more than a dozen Newark schools where high levels of lead were detected.

Thirteen of the 30 affected schools will be tested this weekend.

New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection helped develop a plan for lead testing along with the Newark school district.

On Thursday, the district started testing students for lead poisoning.

"Schools are supposed to be a safe haven for children and they've got lead in the water," one man told 1010 WINS' Roger Stern.

It's unclear for how long students and staff have been exposed to contaminated water.

The district is coordinating with the state DEP to conduct additional water testing in all Newark schools. The city housing authority has also ordered lead testing in all of its buildings.

Too much lead can damage the nervous system, with younger children more vulnerable to long-term damage.