Our model policy requires schools and child care facilities to implement mitigation measures if testing reveals lead in excess of 5 μg/L. We urge EPA to go beyond testing in the LCR revision to require remedial actions by the community water systems, schools, and child care facilities if testing reveals lead in the water.
4. Reporting, Communication, and Education
Reporting, communication, and education are key components of the joint federal and state efforts to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. To help researchers document the incidence of lead in community water systems, schools, and child care facilities, it is important for states to report standardized data to a central database. We urge EPA to establish a clearinghouse for such standardized reporting, in the process working in collaboration with the primary state agencies. We also feel strongly that the parents and guardians of children in our school systems and child care centers should be notified as soon as possible regarding the results of lead testing. Any communication to families or members of the public should be written for lay readers and translated into languages spoken by the affected community. These notifications also should be accompanied by unambiguous statements regarding the hazards of exposure to even small amounts of lead as well as information about ways to prevent exposure. Responding to the experience of Illinois child care facilities in implementing the state’s required testing, we also urge EPA to consider developing standardized templates for accredited laboratories to use in reporting test results to customers in an easy-to-understand format. We appreciate the opportunity to submit comments on behalf of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus. Please feel free to contact Lisa Janairo, GLLC Director, at 920.458.5910 or ljanairo@csg.org if you have any questions about our comments.
Sincerely,
Senator Ed Charbonneau, Indiana GLLC Chair
Representative Robyn Gabel, Illinois GLLC Vice Chair
Senator Laura Fine, Illinois
Representative Rita Mayfield, Illinois
Senator Rick Niemeyer, Indiana
Senator Rosemary Bayer, Michigan
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