A new analysis by the Texas Center for Environmental Research and Policy of testing data submitted by schools to the state finds that much of the water in Texas schools is contaminated with lead.
Of the 1,509 schools and child care centers that reported data, 1,175 (nearly 78%) reported at least one case of lead in drinking water. Environment Texas called on the state Legislature to provide significant funding to help districts purchase lead-filtered water stations and filters for other drains used for cooking and drinking water.
“Lead in school drinking water is a pervasive problem in Texas, and it’s bad news for the developing brains of our children,” said Dr. , Luke Metzger said in a press release. “We send our children to school to learn and grow. We don’t tolerate them being exposed to toxins that can cause them to lose IQ points or cause behavioral problems.” You shouldn’t.”
The Texas Center for Environmental Research and Policy reviewed records submitted by these 1,509 schools and child care centers to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) as part of the agency’s Major School and Child Care Inspection Program. Of the 1,509 schools that reported data, 1,175 (almost 78%) had lead levels at least one tap or more above parts per billion (ppb), the standard recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The press release states that there is no safe level of lead, and the EPA states that “in children, low-level (lead) exposure can lead to central and peripheral nervous system damage, learning disabilities, short stature, and disabilities. It is related.” Disorders of hearing, blood cell formation and function. ” The study also showed that “if exposed to lead in utero or in childhood, there is an excess risk of criminal behavior as an adult.”
School districts in Austin, Houston and other cities are beginning to address the problem by installing hydration stations with lead filters in schools. Environment Texas has asked the Texas Legislature to provide funds to help districts purchase these water points, as well as filters for all other faucets used for cooking, drinking water, and beverage preparation in schools. We are asking you to create a.
“It is estimated that 24 million children in America are at risk of losing IQ points due to low-level lead exposure, and children across Texas are drinking lead-laced water from faucets and fountains. We can’t waste time trying to avoid being harmed by the people they drink every day,” Metzger said in a press release.
