MADISON, CT — An anonymous tip led to the discovery of unusually high levels of uranium in the drinking water supply of two area schools, a November 17 article in The Hartford Courant said.

The tip, received on October 28, revealed to officials at Robert H. Brown Middle School and Kathleen Ryerson Elementary School that high levels of uranium had recently been discovered in the groundwater under nearby homes. This prompted the town to test the water at the schools.

Results confirmed that uranium was present in the schools’ water at about 110 parts per billion (ppb). The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set the uranium limit for home drinking water supplies at 30 ppb. There is currently no limit specifically set for schools, but acceptable levels for contaminants in schools generally are much lower than standards set for homes, according to the article.

Bottled water currently is being provided to students.

School officials have been informed by the state toxicologist that the contamination is not a great health concern. The other schools in the town are not affected, as they get their water from Connecticut Water Co., which tests for contaminants, according to the article.

Uranium is a mildly radioactive, naturally occurring element which can cause kidney disease in humans who have been exposed to high levels of it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.