A study by Women for a Healthy Environment found more than 90% of Pennsylvania school districts that tested for lead in their drinking water reported contamination. (Rafael Ben-Ari/Adobe Stock)
Danielle Smith – Keystone State News Connection
Concerning levels of lead have been detected in the drinking water at some Pennsylvania schools, according to a new report. The investigation examined nine large school districts across the state and reveals widespread noncompliance with safety regulations.
David Masur, executive director of PennEnvironment, says his organization filed a set of “Right to Know” requests with school districts across the state – and in all nine cases, found the districts were not implementing best practices to protect kids from lead in drinking water.
“Eight of the nine school districts were actually violating Pennsylvania law when it came to properly testing and reporting for lead in school drinking water, and even for giving children proper access to adequate amounts of drinking water,” Masur reported.
He added several districts violated the requirement to have one drinking fountain for every one hundred kids and occupants in a building, and noted that there is no safe level of lead, especially for children. Exposure can lead to learning disabilities and hearing and speech problems, as it can affect brain development and lower I.Q.
Masur said his group is calling on members of the General Assembly to immediately implement two bipartisan proposals – Senate Bill 986 and House Bill 2011. They would require all Pennsylvania school districts to replace older drinking-water systems.
“Basically they require school districts to implement the best practices,” he explained. “That includes requiring all school districts to replace old drinking fountains – any drinking fountain put in before 2014 – with lead-filtering water bottle filling stations and drinking fountains.”
He said the legislation also includes about $30 million to help school districts cover the cost of these upgrades to protect kids’ health.