65% of Texas schools found lead in drinking water

Rachael Sneed

Texas received a failing grade from Environment Texas for preventing school drinking water from becoming laced with lead. Sixty-five percent of Texas schools have been measured unsafe.

Out of 594 schools in Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston, 386 have measured levels of lead greater than 1 part per billion (ppb).

Lead affects the way children learn, behave and grow because it’s a potent neurotoxin. There is no safe level.

Too often, schools have plumbing, pipes and/or fixtures that can filter lead into the drinking water. Some can be made entirely of lead.

Currently, state law does little to prevent children’s drinking water from being laced with lead in schools. There are no requirements for testing or remediation, which gave Texas an “F” in a review that involved 16 other states.

Dallas ISD identified 113 out of 234 school with elevated lead levels and has announced remediation plans for 12 school with very high levels. Fort Worth ISD identified 124 out of 128 schools with high lead levels and has begun removing hundreds of water fountains.

Environment Texas called on legislature to require filters certified to remove lead at every tap used for drinking and for the removal of lead service lines in schools.