The only way to ensure safe drinking water for our children is to “get the lead out” of our schools and pre-schools. This involves proactively removing lead-bearing parts from schools’ drinking water systems—from service lines to faucets and fixtures—and installing filters certified to remove lead at every tap used for drinking or cooking.
These steps cost money, but our children's health is worth it. To convince state and local leaders to act, we’re running a joint campaign with Environment America to raise awareness, especially among parents and parent-teacher associations; doctors, nurses and other healthcare givers; and elected officials themselves.
We've already seen real success on this issue in Wisconsin. In early 2018, after WISPIRG mobilized hundreds of healthcare professionals and Wisconsin families to call on the state Legislature to act, we celebrated the passage of the Leading On Lead Act, a bill that will allow water utilities to help pay for removal of lead service lines—the top source of lead contamination in drinking water.
When we get lead out of a child’s water, we make that child’s future brighter and healthier. That’s something worth paying for.