MA should act to get lead out of drinking water in schools as two more states take action

The Massachusetts Legislature should protect chidren from lead in school drinking water by passing Act ensuring safe drinking water in schools (H.906/S.580) after Missouri and Colorado approved bills getting lead out of schools’ drinking water. The bill, currently pending in the legislature, would protect children by establishing a health-based action level for lead in drinking water based on science. It also would require the installation of lead-certified filters or water filling stations, regular and transparent testing of water and the removal of lead-contaminated fixtures.

We know exposure to lead is harmful, especially to children. Yet so many of our kids are exposed to lead in school drinking water. In fact, the Department of Environmental Protection has reported that more than half of the 43,000 taps tested from 980 schools across Massachusetts have tested positive for lead. Passage of this bill will remove this toxic threat and make schools and child care centers safer places for our child to learn and play.  

In the meantime, the state of Massachusetts estabished the  School Water Improvement Grants (SWIG) to help elementary schools and child care centers to get lead out of their drinking water by replacing tainted water fountains. The SWIG program,  funded by the  Massachusetts Clean Water Trust, is run by State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).