| Summary |
The bill requires each public K-12 school (school), child care
center, and family child care home to ensure that a filter is installed on
every drinking water source and that each water filter complies with
national standards and is replaced at least as frequently as required by the
manufacturer's instructions. The bill also requires:
• Each school and child care center to develop and
implement a plan for the maintenance of its water filters
and filtration systems, which plan includes the creation of
an inventory of water sources, regular testing of drinking
water, and remediation efforts;
• Family child care homes to regularly test drinking water
and take certain remediation efforts; and
• The department of public health and environment
(department) to provide training to each school, child care
center, and family child care home regarding water filter
maintenance, flushing protocols, testing for lead, reporting
processes for sampling reports, and other activities relevant
to compliance with the bill's new requirements.
The bill creates the school and child care clean drinking water fund
in the department and requires the department to expend money from the
fund only to help schools, child care centers, and family child care homes
pay for the costs of complying with the bill's new requirements.
The water quality control commission (commission) may enforce
the new provisions by issuing administrative orders and assessing
penalties but is not required to do so. On or before each December 1,
starting in 2023, the commission is required to submit a report to
legislative committees of reference with jurisdiction over public health
matters, which report summarizes the results of the tests performed by
schools, child care centers, and family child care homes and identifies
noncompliant schools, child care centers, and family child care homes.
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