Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) announced that the Assembly passed legislation requiring the state health and education departments to create statewide guidelines for school districts and boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES) to test drinking water for lead. Under the measure, costs associated with testing and remediation will be eligible for reimbursement by the state (A.10740).

“When parents send their children to school, they do so expecting they will learn in a safe environment. However, recent test results have shown some schools in New York State have unsafe levels of lead in their drinking water,” said Assemblyman Thiele. “This legislation will create standards that ensure every school across the state – whether in a wealthy area or a poor community – has the resources it needs to test its drinking water, so we can be sure our kids aren’t being exposed to harmful levels of lead.”

The legislation passed by the Assembly would direct the state Department of Health and Department of Education to enact regulations for schools to periodically test for lead and help school districts pay for the testing. Currently, some school districts have voluntarily tested for lead, however it is not required. This legislation further specifies that if lead is found in the water, testing must occur at a frequency to be determined by the regulations to ensure the water is safe. Additionally, safe drinking water must be provided and parents need to be notified of the test results in a timely manner.

Studies show that high levels of lead can negatively impact a young child’s ability to learn and even cause brain damage.¹

“The health of our students is too important to put at risk,” Thiele said. “When a child is drinking from a school water fountain, parents should feel 100 percent confident that the water is clean and safe.”

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