More than 300 public schools across Nova Scotia will be provided with drinking water until lead testing in all schools can be completed.
The province's Education Department made the announcement Thursday, almost a month after Global News Halifax and Star Halifax reported more than 100 schools in Halifax hadn't tested for lead after Health Canada lowered the acceptable level of lead in drinking water in March.
Only 86 out of 370 schools across the province have been tested for lead, the Education Department said in a news release.
Of the 86 schools tested for lead, 40 require drinking water. The remaining 284 have yet to be tested.
The water, to be provided in 18-litre jugs for the rest of the school year, is expected to cost $1.7 million.
"Until we can resume testing in the spring, we will provide drinking water to schools that need it," Education Minister Zach Churchill said.
Lead testing in schools began in the fall and will resume in the spring, the release said.
The province is creating a public database, to be in place by September, which will show all the water test results from schools across the province.
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