A pair of Democratic-backed bills introduced in the House of Representatives just before lawmakers departed for their annual summer recess would help schools take action to reduce children’s exposure to lead in drinking water.
Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) introduced the first bill as H.R. 5833, the “Get the Lead Out of Schools Act.” The measure would direct EPA to establish an action level for lead in school drinking water and require public water systems to monitor water in schools for lead. If a public water system detects an exceedance of the new lead action level in school water, it would have to notify local educational and state public health agencies within five days.
H.R. 5833 would also establish a new federal grant program to help schools offset costs associated with lead testing and the replacement of lead pipes and plumbing fixtures with lead-free alternatives.
Also introduced before the congressional recess was H.R. 5886, sponsored by Reps. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.). The bill would authorize $25 million over five years for a new grant program to help schools replace drinking water fountains that could include dangerous lead components.
House Republicans are unlikely to act on either proposal before the end of the year, but as the lead Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Pallone recently called for comprehensive Safe Drinking Water Act reforms, including new provisions to address lead in school drinking water. H.R. 5886 might therefore be a candidate to be included in any broader Democratically backed SDWA legislation that Rep. Pallone develops in the coming months.