Governor Andrew Cuomo today signed
landmark legislation (S.8158/A.10740) mandating that schools across the state
test drinking water for lead contamination. Lead is a toxic material that is
extremely harmful to young children and can result in lowered IQ, behavioral
problems and brain damage. The state Department of Health also issued emergency
regulations pursuant to the new legislation, requiring that school districts
test their water for lead contamination by Oct. 31, 2016 and report results to parents, the state
Department of Health and local government officials. These new regulations will
reduce the risk for exposure to this dangerous substance and ensure all New
York’s students have access to clean, drinkable water.
“These rigorous new protections for New York’s children include the toughest lead contamination testing standards in the nation, and provide clear guidance to schools on when and how they should test their water,” Governor Cuomo said. “As children begin another school year, I’m proud to sign this legislation, which marks a major step forward in protecting the public health and ensuring the future growth and success of students across the state.”
“We know how harmful lead can be to the health and well-being of young children, and that's why the Senate insisted on testing school water for lead. As a result, New York becomes the first state in the nation to perform this testing and protect millions of its students from potential health risks,” Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan said. “I’d like to truly thank Senator O’Mara, Chairman of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, who has worked tirelessly on this critically important measure, along with Governor Cuomo and our partners in the Assembly, for coming together to ensure New York does everything possible to ensure safe and clean water for schoolchildren all across this state.”
“This bill is fundamental to ensuring that our school children have access to drinking water that meets the highest health and safety standards,” Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said. “This testing requirement is long overdue and will allow schools to address any issues that exist in their water systems and buildings to give parents, students and faculty the peace of mind they deserve. I want to thank my Assembly Majority colleagues, especially Education Chair Cathy Nolan and Children and Families Chair Donna Lupardo, for their leadership on this critical issue.”
“Thank you to Governor Cuomo for signing this critical legislation into law. It’s a landmark achievement and we’re hopeful that this action in New York will lead to action in other states to protect children,” Senator Tom O’Mara, Chairman of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, said. “Assemblywoman Lupardo and I have valued the opportunity to work closely with the New York League of Conservation Voters and a broad coalition of public health, environment, and healthy schools advocacy groups to secure the law’s enactment. We believe it represents the most critical foundation on which to build future actions. There’s not a more important place to start this overall and ongoing effort to better address lead contamination than within our schools to protect our children.”
“I want to thank the Governor for working closely with us to pass this important legislation requiring schools to test their drinking water for lead,” Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, Chair of the Assembly Children and Families Committee, said. “All of the stakeholders came together to ensure that no child will have unsafe levels of lead in their school drinking water and that school districts will not face an undue financial burden. As a result of this legislation, the test results will be made public and every parent and teacher will know what is in their children’s drinking water.”
“With this new law and accompanying regulations, New York is taking a monumental step forward toward protecting our children from lead, which can cause devastating and lifelong consequences to those who have been exposed,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Howard Zucker. “We look forward to working with our state’s schools to ensuring that their drinking water is safe from lead.”
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Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
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