Survey: 20 LI school districts exceed lead in water guidelines

Multiple school districts on Long Island have reported water samples that exceed the Environmental Protection Agency's guidelines for lead. The EPA's regional director sent a letter to school superintendents

News 12 Staff

Jun 17, 2016, 3:10 AM

Updated 3,042 days ago

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Multiple school districts on Long Island have reported water samples that exceed the Environmental Protection Agency's guidelines for lead.
The EPA's regional director sent a letter to school superintendents last month saying, "There is no safe level of lead exposure for children."
Schools are not currently required to test for lead under state and federal law. Many of them have begun testing after reports of contaminated water in New Jersey schools.
According to a Newsday and News 12 survey, 20 districts reported levels that exceeded the guidelines. They include Bayport-Blue Point, Carle Place, Commack, East Rockaway, Elwood, Jericho, Locust Valley, Malverne, North Bellmore, Northport-East Northport, Oceanside, Plainview-Old Bethpage, Port Washington, Riverhead, Syosset, Valley Stream 13, Valley Stream 24, Valley Stream 30, Valley Stream Central and Westbury.
The Wyandanch School District told News 12 that it's not ready to do any lead testing and doesn't know yet when it will be.
This afternoon, the state Senate unanimously passed a bill that would require schools to test for lead. It also provides funding for testing and remediation.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie told reporters in Albany Thursday afternoon that if the Senate passed the lead testing bill, his chamber would too.