Eligible communities in all states would be eligible for part of $700 million in low-interest loans to finance much-needed upgrades to public drinking water systems through the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, according to Democratic Sen.
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Last week, WBEZ reported that Chicago Public Schools are not required to test water in schools, and that the school district and the city water department didn’t respond to questions about what (if any) testing they do.
The Ithaca City School District and the Tompkins County Health Department have said lead levels remain high in drinking fountains and classroom sinks at two elementary schools. Afterwards, they will conduct a retest.
In the wake of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, lead poisoning is top of mind for many of us. “How quickly can we get it fixed and how long has this been going on”.
The city has started testing for lead in the water of Chicago schools and will also offer residents free tests.
The district is in the process of testing water and replacing faucet fixtures it believes are contributing to the lead in the water, but parents are still anxious.
“The answer is no”, said Voelpel.
“While CPS has no indication that there is any lead present in school water, CPS has launched a pilot program to develop a standard approach for testing across the district”, the statement said.
Providing safe drinking water is paramount to the city of Kent, and Kent’s water is very safe, says water superintendent Sean Bauer. Specifically, higher levels of lead were found in more than 50 samples taken at the Caroline Elementary School, and in 11 samples taken at the Enfield Elementary School. “We did test all of our drinking water in all of our facilities in 2004 because a problem had been identified”, she said.
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Crumbling lead-based paint remains the chief source of exposure for children, but many researchers say contaminated water poses additional risks. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 10-20 percent of the lead that poisons children comes from tap water. These sources are treated with sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) and aeration to raise the pH, which makes it less corrosive on plumbing and reduces the amount of lead that can dissolve into the drinking water.
