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Families claim school delayed notifying them about lead levels in water

BUTLER, Pa. — Four Butler families are teaming up with Pittsburgh attorney Brendan Lupetin by filing a lawsuit against Butler Area School District.

The lawsuit claims the former superintendent, former assistant superintendent, and the former maintenance director did not notify families quickly enough about elevated copper and lead in the school’s well water at Summit Elementary.

"The fact of the matter is that the school knew, the supervisors, the people in charge knew," Lupetin said.

Police said the former maintenance director Glenn Terwilliger, who's facing criminal charges, told supervisors the school was was safe even though DEP test results showed high levels of copper and lead.

"Some of the lead levels at Summit Elementary where as much as twice as the levels in Flint, Michigan," Lupetin said.

The suit said the defendants allowed a dangerous situation which posed a direct threat to the health and well-being of anyone who drank it -- in particular, children.

According to Butler Radio, the families are asking the district pay for biannual blood testing and doctor visits for the next three years for the children who drank the water between 2016 and 2017.

"Right now, we're still understanding the extent to which these children have been affected negatively as a result of the water they were exposed to at the Summit Elementary School," Lupetin said.

A district spokesperson told Channel 11 their solicitor is reviewing the suit and said that Summit no longer uses well water.

The district continues to test the water.

Summit Elementary students return to school next week.

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