Since the Flint Water Crisis we have all, at some point, questioned the safety of our water. That crisis is still being addressed and serves as a cautionary tale for what can happen around the rest of the state. In this week’s "Issues of the Environment," WEMU’s David Fair talks with 55th District State Representative Adam Zemke about the health of our water and what needs to be done.
Overview
* Many public schools are housed in older buildings with lead piping in the system, and currently there is no state or federal legal requirement for testing in Michigan.
* Public health officials agree that no amount of lead exposure is safe. Even at low levels, lead can cause serious and irreversible damage to the developing brains and nervous systems of young children. The result can be lasting behavioral, cognitive, and physical problems. In short, it can alter the trajectory of a child’s life.
* As one of a number of bills to address water safety in Michigan, Adam Zemke has introduced House Bill 4120, which requires local water providers to conduct tests for lead and other contaminants in public schools’ drinking water at least once every three years.
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— David Fair is the WEMU News Director and host of Morning Edition on WEMU. You can contact David at 734.487.3363, on twitter @DavidFairWEMU, or email him at dfair@emich.edu