Acting to address heightening concerns about elevated levels of lead in school drinking water, Senate President Steve Sweeney, Senator Ronald L. Rice and Senator M. Teresa Ruiz today announced a plan requiring testing in all New Jersey schools followed by remediation and parental notification.
“When parents send their children off to school each day they shouldn’t have to fear the terrible consequences of exposure to lead in the drinking water,” said Senator Sweeney. “Their health and safety are as much of a priority as the education they receive. We can’t allow school children to be exposed to lead contamination; if the threat exists it must be removed and parents deserve to be informed.”
Recent revelations show that nearly half of Newark’s public schools have elevated levels of lead in their water and that knowledge of the conditions was not publicly disclosed. Currently, there is no requirement that New Jersey schools test the water used for consumption by children or others for lead contamination. A few school districts have recently started to test.
“Lead poisoning can cause irreversible brain and nervous system damage and a lifetime of behavioral and learning problems, all with no obvious symptoms,” said Senator Ruiz, who chairs the Senate Education Committee. “But lead poisoning is completely preventable. For that reason, it is critical that we take action to identify where the problem exists and understand the scope of the threat. Nothing is more important than the safety of our children and there is no price-tag can be placed on their health and wellbeing.”
In 2015, there were more than 3,000 new cases of children under six with elevated levels of toxic lead reported in New Jersey. Since 2000, about 225,000 children in the state have been afflicted by lead, according to advocates.
“This is a public health crisis that cannot and should not be ignored any longer,” said Senator Rice. “The danger is especially severe in urban communities with older school buildings and a student population that is often underserved. The health and safety of every child is important and must be respected.”
A recently-released report showed that 11 cities and two counties in New Jersey have a higher proportion of children affected by lead than in Flint, Michigan. A higher percentage of children were found with elevated blood lead levels in Irvington, East Orange, Trenton, Newark, Paterson, Plainfield, Jersey City, Elizabeth, Atlantic City, East Brunswick and Passaic, and in Salem and Cumberland counties.
The bill would require every public school to immediately test the drinking water in the school for the presence of lead and then tests at least twice annually. The first test would be conducted within 30 days prior to the start of the school year, and the second test conducted six months later.
The legislation would appropriate $3 million to the Department of Education to reimburse the school districts for the testing.
The tests would be conducted in accordance with guidelines provided by the Department of Environmental Protection in conjunction with the Department of Education. Each public school would be required to provide a copy of the test results to the commissioners of both departments, make them available to the public, free of charge, and notify parents and guardians of the test results.
If the tests detect a level of lead in the drinking water above the “action level” or concentration established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the public school would be required to take immediate steps to provide an alternate drinking water supply.
The bill would also require the superintendent of each school district to identify each school building that contains lead pipes, lead solder, or fixtures containing lead, and provide a list of the identified buildings to the DOE commissioner. The bill would require the school district to install a water filter or water treatment device certified to remove lead on each drinking water fountain and each sink used for food preparation in the identified buildings. The school district would also be required to maintain and replace those filters in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
The bill would appropriate up to $20 million from the Clean Energy Fund to reimburse school districts for the water filters.
[TLS]