News
Lead testing was in the mainstream news yet again this month after a report gave California a “C+” for its policies to protect children from lead in drinking water at school. In fairness to California, it was one of the only states to receive a “passing” grade, as 22 of the 32 states analyzed received an “F” letter grade. If you’re a parent like me, however, you probably feel like a C+ report card is hardly worth celebrating.
But what exactly did the report base its assessment on?
Last week, drinking water fixtures at Grant Union High School in Sacramento were shut off after elevated levels of lead and copper were found in the water.
Grant Union High School is not the first school to experience risky lead levels in its drinking water; it is merely the most recent. The water quality issues the Sacramento school is experiencing should serve as a wake-up call to all California schools, the vast majority of which have yet to take advantage of the State Water Resource Control Board’s lead testing program for schools.
Earlier this month Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt told reporters that eradicating lead from drinking water is one of his top priorities.
Pruitt said part of the President’s $1.5 trillion plan to bolster the nation’s infrastructure includes investments in aging water infrastructure, which Pruitt believes should focus on eliminating lead in potable water. In his conversation with reporters, however, Pruitt appeared to place the onus on state and local governments, calling on them to invest in such upgrades.
Earlier this month the American Water Works Association (AWWA) partnered with the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) on a webinar concerning the new state law for testing lead in schools.
There are major changes underway for Lead and Copper reporting and Babcock Laboratories is on the leading edge!
The State of California is transitioning to a new electronic submittal process for Lead and Copper data via a Lab-to-State (LTS) Portal. Babcock Labs participated in beta testing of the State's new LTS Portal and was one of the few labs to be first registered on the Portal.
