LANSING — Recent revelations have surfaced that water service to Detroit Public School Community District (DPSCD) was being shut off due to a number of schools testing positive for elevated lead and copper levels. Last week, state Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo (D-Detroit) introduced House Bill 6363, which would mandate that all Michigan schools’ water be tested for lead. This is the second piece of legislation introduced by Rep. Gay-Dagnogo to deal with lead-based contamination. In January, Rep. Gay-Dagnogo introduced House Bill 5388 to address lead-based paint in homes. Following the introduction of HB 6363, Rep. Gay-Dagnogo issued the following statement:
“Parents should feel safe sending their children to school knowing that their district and school board has taken the necessary steps to ensure their safety. As an educator, I have ongoing concerns with the health risks associated with Michigan’s aging infrastructure and schools that don’t follow standardized protocols regarding the testing of their water quality. This legislation is my response to these concerns I have regarding the health of our children. This is an important step to ensuring our children’s exposure to the harmful effects of lead is minimized, which is why I expect this to move quickly through the Legislature.”
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