Pennsylvania gets “F” for efforts to remove lead from drinking water – NBC10 Philadelphia

The PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center released its annual “Get The Lead Out” report, saying Pennsylvania received an “F” grade for its efforts to remove lead from its school drinking water.

According to the report, most schools in Pennsylvania have discovered that their drinking water systems contain lead from pipes that run through school buildings to drinking fountains and that there is a risk of water contamination.

The report says the Philadelphia School District found that 98% of drinking establishments in school buildings tested positive for lead.

According to Women for a Healthy Environment’s 2021 report from 65 school districts in Pennslyvania, 91% of students found lead in their water.

Lead exposure can have serious consequences and there is no safe blood lead level in children, the study says World Health Organization.

“School is for learning and playing – not for getting a daily dose of lead-containing water. Lead impairs children’s ability to learn, grow and behave,” Stephanie Wein, clean water advocate at PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center, said in a news release.

In the report, PennEnviorment suggested several ways Pennslyvania could protect children from lead-containing water, such as: Actions such as replacing drinking fountains with filtered water stations, setting a statewide health standard for lead in school drinking water, and informing the public about how school districts operate address the problem.