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According to a report title “Get the Lead Out” by Environmental America, half of the states in the Mountain West received a failing grade for how they are handling lead contamination in school drinking water.
“Unfortunately, over decades, we have built our water delivery systems, including in our schools, with a potent toxic substance called lead,” said John Rumpler, the clean water program director at Environment America. “It's in pipes. It's in plumbing. It's in faucets. It's in fountains. This lead has serious effects on the way that our kids learn and grow and behave.”
The water crisis in Flint, Michigan spurred the first lead report card by Environment America in 2017 and has since expanded to give all states a grade in 2023. More states are urged to add filters and replace water fixtures at schools and childcare centers.
“The real overall big jump that we'd like to see states take is not waiting for test results to confirm that our kids are drinking lead,” Rumpler said. “It would be better if ultimately, we could get to the root of the problem.