Letter to the editor: Lead in schools' drinking water a danger to children

Your article “Deer Lakes welcomes back students with coffee shop, Legos-style learning and colorful parking spots” (Aug. 30, TribLive) demonstrates how the back-to-school season can be an exciting time. However, considering the persistent issue of lead in our schools’ water, it is also a time of concern.

As an analysis in a recently released PennEnvironment report shows, current laws are failing to protect our children. We need to get the lead out of our schools’ water. Lead is highly toxic to children, and even low levels of lead exposure can lead to learning disabilities including ADHD and depression. Yet lead contamination of Pennsylvania schools’ drinking water is widespread. A recent report shows that of 65 Pennsylvania school districts surveyed, 91% of those tested found lead in their water.

Fortunately, proposals pending in the state Legislature, SB 986 and HB 2011, address these loopholes by requiring all drinking water taps in Pennsylvania schools to have filters that capture lead. Our elected officials must pass these protections as quickly as possible, so no child in the commonwealth suffers the detrimental health effects of lead in their school drinking water again. It is time our legislators do their homework and get these bills passed.

Nicholas Barber

Philadelphia

The writer is a clean water associate with PennEnvironment.