Sen. Ossoff Launches Push for Clean Water in Schools

Press Release

U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff today launched a push to include funding for replacement of lead pipes at public schools in Georgia and nationwide in the "Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act," which could reach the U.S. Senate floor in coming weeks.

In a letter to Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Sen. Ossoff argued the funding is needed to replace lead pipes at public schools, noting that Georgia, along with 22 other states, received an "F" in a non-profit "Get the Lead Out" study that looked at protecting students from lead in drinking water.

"Every child, in Georgia and nationwide, deserves clean, healthy drinking water," Sen. Ossoff wrote. "Most, if not all states and school districts need federal assistance to replace leaded water pipes at public schools. Therefore, it is imperative that S. 915 include funding for lead remediation programs to replace water pipes and reduce lead exposure for children."

As Ossoff states in the letter, according to the Georgia's own CDC, there is no safe level of lead exposure for children.

At the moment, Georgia's State Board of Education is testing 800 schools for lead in drinking water, and preliminary estimates suggest high levels of lead in hundreds of Georgia school faucets.

If Sen. Ossoff's proposal is included in the bill, federal funds would be available to help public schools replace lead pipes and keep children healthy.

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