The Detroit public school district is turning off its drinking water due to higher than expected levels of copper and lead, just one week before the new school year starts.

Of the 24 sites tested, 16 showed elevated levels of the heavy metals. The latest testing means the 2018-2019 school year begins with 34 schools with no drinking water.

Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said in a statement: “Although we have no evidence that there are elevated levels of copper or lead in our other schools where we are awaiting test results, out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of our students and employees, I am turning off all drinking water in our schools until a deeper and broader analysis can be conducted to determine the long-term solutions for all schools”.

Mr Vitti said he will be creating a task force to deal with the matter and noted the testing “was not required by federal, state or city law or mandate”.

The Detroit Free Press reported Mr Vitti had ordered all 106 buildings in the school district be tested this past spring, resulting in 18 of them needing to shut off drinking water.

Bottled water will be provided until water coolers can be procured.

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The school district blamed an ageing infrastructure for the problem.

Despite concerns, the school district does not plan on testing students for heavy metal toxicity.

In pictures: Flint water crisis Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Flint water crisis In pictures: Flint water crisis Anthony Fordham picks up bottled water from the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan to deliver to a school after elevated lead levels were found in the city's water in Flint Reuters In pictures: Flint water crisis Michigan National Guard Staff Sergeant William Phillips (L) assists a Flint resident with bottled water at a fire station in Flint Reuters In pictures: Flint water crisis Flint residents Arthur Woodson, left, and Tony Palladino Jr. protest the arrival of Flint native and filmmaker Michael Moore as Moore accuses Gov.Rick Snyder of poisoning Flint water during a rally outside of city hall in Flint AP In pictures: Flint water crisis Flint residents pick up bottled water and water filters at a fire station in Flint. Michigan National Guard members were set to arrive in Flint to join door-to-door efforts to distribute bottled water and other supplies to residents coping with the city's crisis over lead-contaminated drinking water Reuters In pictures: Flint water crisis Soldiers from the Michigan Army National Guard Flint prepare to give Flint residents bottled water at a fire station in Flint Getty Images In pictures: Flint water crisis Justin Roberson (L), age 6, of Flint, Michigan and Mychal Adams, age 1, of Flint wait on a stack of bottled water at a rally where the Rev. Jesse Jackson was speaking about about the water crises at the Heavenly Host Baptist Church in Flint Getty Images In pictures: Flint water crisis A man sits next to a stack of bottled water at the Heavenly Host Baptist Church in Flint 2016 Getty Images In pictures: Flint water crisis The top of a water tower is seen at the Flint Water Plant. President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Michigan and ordered federal aid to be used to help state and local response efforts to an area affected by contaminated water Reuters In pictures: Flint water crisis Rosie Wright, center, rallies with the crowd over Flint's water crisis in Ann Arbor, Michigan AP In pictures: Flint water crisis Rick Catherman participates in a rally around Flint's water crisis in Ann Arbor, Michigan AP

Building problems have been a consistent source of trouble for Mr Vitti.

A review of facilities from earlier in the summer showed the district would need $500m (£384m) for immediate fixes.

If nothing is done, the price tag will increase to $1.4bn in five years.