Legislature should protect kids from lead in drinking water

Lead contamination is widespread in Texas schools.

An October analysis by Environment Texas Research and Policy Center found that of the 1509 schools which had submitted testing data, 1175 (or 77.87%) reported at least one instance of lead contamination.

Lead exposure is dangerous to children’s health.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, “in children, low levels of [lead] exposure have been linked to damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing and impaired formation and function of blood cells.” 24 million children in America are estimated to be at risk of losing IQ points due to low levels of lead exposure. Meanwhile, sesearch also shows that “an excess risk for criminal behavior in adulthood exists when an individual is exposed to lead in utero or in the early years of childhood.”

Schools need help with remediation

Houston ISD estimates it needs $150 million to fully remove lead from school water. TCEQ’s Lead Testing in School and Child Care Program provides “free filters (pitcher, in-line, and faucet) that are certified to remove lead and lead free fixtures” for schools and childcare centers which have done testing. 

But the program only has $1.8 million budgeted for FY25 (all federal money). That’s not nearly enough for all the impacted schools and daycares in the state and plus even that federal funding is in doubt going forward. 

Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins added a “rider” to the Texas budget which would invest $2.5 million per year to make sure this critical program continues, regardless of what happens at the federal level. However, the rider is currently in Article XI of the budget, which means it won’t actually get appropriated unless a House-Senate budget conference committee agrees to transfer it into the main budget.

Federal action is insufficient to protect kids

The EPA’s new deadline on lead service lines does not solve this problem.  Most schools do not have lead service lines; rather, lead contamination of schools’ water largely stems from interior plumbing, fountains and fixtures. Yet Texas has no state policy requiring schools to stop lead from tainting the water our kids drink at school every day.