Why Water in Schools Is So Susceptible to Lead Poisoning
The Flint water crisis is bringing more attention to the decades-old — but still unsolved — problem of lead in drinking water supplies. But despite the fact that lead poses a potential
danger to children, neither states nor the federal government require schools to regularly test their water for the toxic metal.
That’s about to change. New York is on the verge of becoming the first state to require lead tests for water in schools. “Lead is such a lethal contaminant and threat to human health, especially to youngsters, that we must make every effort to ensure that the water our school children drink is lead free,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Democrat who backed the measure.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to sign the legislation, which he proposed earlier this year. It cleared the state legislature with bipartisan support. Under the law, schools would get
reimbursed for the testing and some of the costs of replacing lead plumbing. Schools would also have to make the results of their lead tests public.
From: Why Water in Schools Is So Susceptible to Lead Poisoning
By: DANIEL C. VOCK
Photo; AP/Carolyn Kaster
