A news story from USA Today reports that hundreds of schools and day cares across the country failed lead tests between in during testing between 2012 and 2015. Of the 8,225 schools and day cares that are required to test for lead levels, about 350 did not meet federal standards. Less than 10% of schools and day cares are required to test for lead levels, but many schools that have voluntarily tested their municipality provide water have also found higher than normal levels of lead.
The anecdotes of lead levels are even scarier. A school in Main with water 41 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ‘action level’, 15 parts per billion (ppb). A preschool in Pennsylvania with 14 times the action level. A sink in an elementary school where the water would be classified a hazardous waste. A 7-year-old with more than twice the average level of lead in the blood, without coming into contact with lead-laden products.
But what really is at the heart of the issue is indifference among school administrators. The anecdotes from the USA Today article do not seem like they could possibly be real. A rural school in Pennsylvania found lead levels four times higher than action levels, but didn’t turn off water fountains for two years. Two schools in Arizona found high lead levels, but no follow up tests were performed and no one was notified for more than two years. A school in New York failed to notify parents, as required, after lead was found in drinking water.
See the full news article here.
Having to worry about lead in the drinking water should not be something that parents need. One thing that can help give parents assurance is providing children with some sort of water bottle to carry around, as opposed to having them drink the schools drinking water. The effects of lead contamination are cumulative, so exposure to any lead sources, especially for children, is very concerning. California reported 112 test of lead levels over 15 ppb, the actionable level, with one test reading as high as 13,200 ppb, 880 times the actionable level. If you or a loved one has experienced health problems you believe may be related to contaminated drinking water, contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker today for a free consultation.
