Pittsburgh Hearing Examines Robinson’s Bill Ensuring Lead Free Drinking Water in Schools

HARRISBURG - Sen. Frank Farry (R-6) and Sen. Devlin Robinson (R-37) today hosted an informational hearing examining legislation to ensure Pennsylvania students have access to safe, lead-free drinking water in schools.

The hearing, held at the Upper St. Clair Library, focused on Senate Bill 759, sponsored by Robinson alongside Sens. John Kane (D-9) and Art Haywood (D-4). The legislation would require school districts to replace outdated drinking fountains with lead-filtering hydration stations by 2028 while providing funding mechanisms to help schools cover implementation costs.

"Every student deserves access to clean, safe drinking water while they are at school," Robinson said. "Today's discussion reinforced the importance of taking proactive steps to reduce children's exposure to lead and ensure our schools are equipped with safer, modern hydration systems."

"Providing students with access to clean drinking water is a basic responsibility, and today's hearing highlighted both the importance and feasibility of addressing this issue," said Farry, chairman of the Senate Institutional Sustainability and Innovation Committee. "The testimony provided valuable insight into the health concerns associated with lead exposure and the practical steps schools can take to modernize aging infrastructure."

Committee members heard testimony from experts in environmental advocacy, public health, plumbing manufacturing and pediatric medicine regarding the dangers of lead exposure and the need for preventative action in schools across Pennsylvania.

"Because children spend so much time in school buildings during the prime years of their development, lead contamination in school drinking water is particularly dangerous," said David Masur, executive director of PennEnvironment. "It's well-proven that lead exposure causes numerous negative health effects, including damage to the nervous system, learning disabilities and impaired hearing. For all these reasons, it is critical that the state legislature revisit this matter with a policy based on prevention. Instead of relying on variable testing results, Sen. Robinson's Senate Bill 759 will require school districts to install filters certified to remove lead on every tap used for drinking water."

"Lead from any source contributes to the burden of exposure and therefore needs to be reduced or eliminated," said play Deborah Moss, M.D., professor of pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh. "Evidence from numerous studies over the past decades has taught us --and the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics have confirmed -- that there is no safe level of lead in children. This is why it's so important to eliminate lead in the environment, especially where children live, learn and play."

"In a time where replacing the entire plumbing infrastructure of old school buildings is often cost-prohibitive, filtered faucets and bottle-filling stations -- as well as under-sink point-of-use filters -- are an integral part of the solution. By contrast, repeated 'test-remediate-retest' strategies can become expensive and unpredictable, particularly in older buildings where lead sources may exist deep within aging infrastructure," said Matthew P. Windrum, director of state government affairs, policy and advocacy for Plumbing Manufacturers International. "So, while a filtration plan like Senate Bill 759 is most importantly a critical step to safeguarding children's health and well-being, it is also a very cost-effective and prudent use of taxpayer dollars."

"I urge you to pass Senate Bill 759. The health, wellness and academic performance of our children depend on it," said Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, executive director of Women for a Healthy Environment. "Together, we can create healthier school communities."

The legislation awaits a vote in the Senate Institutional Sustainability and Innovation Committee. Once approved, it will head to the full Senate for consideration.