Thursday, April 25, 2024 | St. Lawrence County, NY
Legislation co-sponsored by North Country Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, that requires schools to test water for lead contamination, was signed into law Sept. 8. The law requires school …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
To continue reading, you will need to either log in to your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active, online-only subscription then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
Legislation co-sponsored by North Country Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, that requires schools to test water for lead contamination, was signed into law Sept. 8.
The law requires school districts in St. Lawrence County and across New York state to regularly test their water for lead. Funding from the state will be available for the costs associated with testing and remediation.
“We’ve seen too many cases throughout the country of children being exposed to unsafe levels of lead, which can seriously impact their health and their ability to learn,” Russell said.
Russell’s district includes all St. Lawrence County towns along the Seaway plus the towns of Canton, Potsdam, Rossie, Macomb, and DePeyster,.
Lead is a toxic material that is extremely harmful to young children and can result in lowered IQ, behavioral problems and brain damage.
"We have seen locally that there are high levels of lead in our water supply. Old pipes are a prime culprit. It's not just lead paint in houses we need to worry about," Russell said.
"I am glad we were able to include funding for our schools to perform these tests. Our budgets are tight, but our children are just as important as those in wealthier schools. If there ends up being problems in our schools, I will work hand in hand with our communities to ensure the problem is fixed so our kids' health is not harmed and our parents can have peace of mind," she added.
“Parents should never have to fear for their children’s safety when they send them to school. They deserve to know that they’re learning in a safe, healthy environment,” she said.
Under the new law, school districts and boards of cooperative educational services must conduct periodic tests of their drinking water sources. School districts are required to provide test results to parents and post them on the district’s website.
Costs associated with testing and remediation will be eligible for reimbursement by the state.
New emergency state regulations require all school districts to conduct water tests by Oct. 31. Elementary school buildings must be tested by Sept. 30.
