Clean water: CPS’s botched attempt to flush lead out of school drinking fountains

Saturday, November 2, 2024, 3:02 p.m.

CPS’ Unscrupulous Attempt to Flush Lead from School Drinking FountainsA CPS spokesman credits a high school engineer with inventing the lead-flushing drinking fountain, but does not say he has a patent.

CHICAGO — Access to clean drinking water in Chicago Public Schools is a priority for top CPS official Robert Christlieb.

His efforts to solve this problem include installing an invention called Noah.

This device automatically flushes drinking fountains on a preset schedule to reduce the buildup of lead in standing water.

Christlieb publicly credits Noah’s invention to a high school engineer, but fails to mention that he is the co-inventor of the device.

CPS prohibits its employees from doing business with the school system.

The district declined to comment in detail on whether Christlieb violated any policies.