Milford shuts down water supplies with excess copper

Cami Munce, Community Editor

With the recent lead poisoning in Flint, Michigan, many school districts have begun testing their own systems to ensure that their water systems are safe. On March 19, Huron Valley Schools (HVS) tested the water at all levels from elementary to the high schools. Nova Environmental, Inc. conducted the testing, which collected 2-7 samples at random. Luckily, every test reported negative for containing lead in Huron Valley. However, Milford High School tested positive on 2 counts of exceeding the EPA recommended amount of copper. These sinks were located by the women’s restroom in the CPA and in a custodial sink. Since this discovery, these sinks have been removed from commission until further notice.

If the human body consumes too much copper, it is possible (though unlikely) that this person can acquire Copper Toxicity Syndrome. NutritionalBalancing.org reports that some of the effects of consuming too much copper are: fatigue, cold hands/feet, moods swings, slow thyroid, paranoid, arthritis, and more. No students from Milford High School have reported these symptoms. Though there many side effects to an abundance of copper in the body, it is most commonly linked to fatigue and low energy. That being said, the likeliness of the amounts of copper in the sinks causing these effects are minimal, but HVS is not taking any risks.