It's no secret that cities like Buffalo are having issues with their infrastructure. Older cities all over the nation, like Buffalo, have been having a hard time keeping up with maintaining and improving key infrastructure items, as many of them were built more than 100 years ago. You don't need to look any farther than Buffalo's water system.

We've known for years that Buffalo's water and sewer system has its problems. Whether it's part of the city still utilizing wooden sewers or thousands of lead water pipes buried under city streets, Buffalo has a lot of work ahead of it to improve things. Buffalo lead problem is pervasive, and unfortunately, it looks like things are going to get worse before they get better.

READ MORE: EPA To Buffalo, New York: You Have 10 Years To Fix Your Lead Pipes

While Buffalo has been in the midst of starting its project to replace well over 40,000 lead water lines, it was recently discovered that lead has been found in the water at several schools across the city of Buffalo.

According to the Investigative Post, more than 40 Buffalo school buildings had water tested for lead levels far above what is allowed by the New York State Department of Health.

The source of the lead was not from the underground service lines that feed water to the school buildings but from internal plumping and fixtures inside each of the schools. Things like water fountains, faucets in bathrooms and school kitchens, and more were found to be the cause of the problems. The research done by Investigative Post determined that some of the fixtures and water fountains had been in service and used by kids and adults for years before the issues were identified.

City officials have said all of the water sources in the schools used for food preparation have been replaced, and they are working to replace the other impacted sources. Water fountains or other water sources used for general drinking have been taken out of service until they can be replaced.

READ MORE: Buffalo Needs Your Help To Replace Thousands Of Lead Water Lines

It's been well documented what happens to a person when they consume lead, either by drinking it in water or eating something like lead paint chips. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, consuming lead can lead to behavior and learning problems, lower IQ and slowed growth, anemia in kids, premature birth and birth defects for pregnant women, and cardiovascular issues like increased blood pressure and hypertension, along with reduced kidney function in adults. In some cases, the consumption of lead can lead to seizures, coma, and death.

Given that we have known these things for years, we must do better in Buffalo.

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