Get the Lead Out: Nonprofit pushes for testing of drinking water in NC schools
Parents and environmental experts in North Carolina are pushing for more lead testing at schools and daycares statewide.
Posted — Updated
A recent study showed one out of seven childcare centers in the Triangle have at least one faucet where lead levels are higher than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allows. Environment NC is launching an awareness campaign to encourage parents to ask their local school leaders about testing.
- Make sure the filters on taps are certified to remove lead.
- Replace fountains, pipes or plumbing that has lead.
- Remove pipes that contain lead.
- Require ongoing testing.
Doctors say there is no safe level of lead, and Jackie MacDonald Gibson, a professor of environmental sciences in the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said that's especially true for children.
"It impairs their cognitive development, can decrease IQ – and that's a permanent effect – and also can lead to adverse outcomes like increased rates of juvenile delinquency and poor performance in school," Gibson said.
Parents are asked to help by spreading the word on social media, alerting other members of the public and contacting lawmakers.
Related Topics
• Credits
Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
