“They will remain closed until we are able to remediate the lead level concern,” wrote Karessa Morrow, principal of Meramec Elementary.

The district is providing bottled water at 12 schools where drinking fountains outside the cafeteria are shut off, or where multiple drinking fountains are no longer operating.

At Patrick Henry Downtown Academy, near downtown, cases of bottled water were stacked in the main office on Thursday. Bottled water is also being distributed due to lead-contaminated water at Carver Elementary, Northwest Academy of Law, Sumner High, Mann Elementary, Sigel Elementary, Peabody Elementary, Shenandoah Elementary, Nahed Chapman New American Academy, Fanning Middle, Clay Elementary, and the old Beaumont High School, where teenagers take career and technical education courses.

Another 18 schools had elevated levels of lead in their water, but most of their drinking fountains had low or non-existant levels of lead. Those schools are: AESM Middle, Busch Middle, Carr Lane VPA Middle, Clyde C. Miller Career Academy, Compton-Drew Middle, Cote Brilliante Elementary, Galludet, Gateway STEM High, Gateway Middle, Herzog Elementary, Hickey Elementary, Laclede Elementary, Langston Middle, Long Middle, Meramec Elementary, Oak Hill Elementary, Roosevelt High and Vashon High schools.