Oakland California: Calling for Safe Water in Taps

 

East Bay Times "It could cost Oakland schools 

$38 million to fix lead contamination"

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2018/02/08/it-could-cost-oakland-schools-38-million-to-fix-lead-contamination/

OAKLAND — Oakland Unified estimates it will cost $38 million to address high lead levels in water taps at its schools.

Excerpts from the article

"...Advocates have urged the district to go beyond the federal guidelines and replace fixtures that have lead levels exceeding one part per billion. The American Academy of Pediatrics has deemed fixtures with any more than one part per billion of lead to be dangerous for children. Oakland pediatrician Dr. Noemi Spinazzi, at a press conference in November, said lead “mimics iron and calcium, which growing children need.” Children’s bodies can absorb a lot of lead, which stores in the bones, liver, blood and brain. It can lead to anemia, poor growth, fatigue, learning difficulties and even lower IQ levels and developmental delays, she said.

Jason Pfeifle, a health advocate for consumer group CalPIRG, delivered a petition to the school board at its Jan. 24 meeting signed by more than 1,000 people urging the district to adopt a policy that would require every water tap in the school district to be tested and for the district to not allow more than one part per billion of lead in the taps.

“Lead is extremely harmful to children’s health. Even small exposures to lead can do permanent damage to their cognitive development,” Pfeifle said at the meeting." 

Read the article at https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2018/02/08/it-could-cost-oakland-schools-38-million-to-fix-lead-contamination/