Twelve States Earn Failing Grades For Lead In School Water
By Sara Jerome,
@sarmje
A new report shines a light on lead-contamination of drinking water in schools, highlighting how poor policymaking at the state and federal level poses a threat to children in various states.
The report released last month by the Environment America Research & Policy Center reviewed policies in 15 states for how well they protect children from lead contamination of drinking water at schools.
California, Connecticut, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Maine, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin all earned "F" grades.
Illinois and Massachusetts earned “D” grades.
New Jersey earned a “C-” grade, and New York earned a “C.”
The report called on federal policymakers to strengthen the Lead and Copper Rule. It also highlighted policy gaps contributing to the problem in schools:
- Several states have no requirements for schools and pre-schools to address the threat of lead in drinking water; and
- Of the few states with applicable laws, most follow flaws in the federal rules — relying on testing instead of prevention, and using standards that allow health-threatening levels of lead to persist in our children’s water at school.
Washington, D.C., earned a “B” for proposed regulations. The district is “considering an ordinance that would not only set the standard for lead at one part per billion for schools but also require installing certified filters at all outlets used for drinking or cooking in schools,” the report said.
John Rumpler, Clean Water Program director for Environment America and the report’s co-author, said lead poses a major threat to children.
“It is estimated that 24 million children across the country will lose IQ points due to low levels of lead exposure,” he said, per Illinois News Connection. “That is a really serious, widespread problem, not just a few cities, all across the country.”
In response to the report, the Asbury Park Press listed examples of school lead problems in New Jersey:
- Newark Public Schools, the largest district in the state, shut off water fountains at 30 school buildings a year ago;
- High lead was detected at multiple faucets in four schools in Toms River;
- One of three locations that tested high in Middletown schools last year was an elementary school fountain;
- Voluntary testing in Parsippany led one school to shut down its drinking fountains and bring in bottled water for students; and
- Water at 14 of the 181 locations tested in New Brunswick schools exceed safe levels.