News, Culture and NPR for Central & Northern Michigan

Less than half of U.S. school districts tested for lead in water

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Flickr User Rishabh Mishra

Only 43 percent of U.S. school districts tested for lead in their water in 2016 or 2017.

That's according to a report by the Government Accountability Office.

About a year and a half ago, a bill was introduced in the state House that would require Michigan public schools to test their water for lead. It has not been put up for a vote.

Kyle Guerrant is with the Michigan Department of Education. He says the cost of requiring water testing is a barrier to schools.

"There's laws on our books that, especially around schools, that, you know, if the state mandates additional things that we have to pay for it. So I think the cost of mandating that schools, that all schools test their water, is probably the biggest barrier."

$4.3 million were set aside last year to reimburse schools for voluntary water testing. But less than a half million dollars of the money was used.

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