RSMo 160.077;
Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water Act (2022)
School Responsibilities
This is an abbreviated list of responsibilities of the schools, concerning testing drinking water for lead. Please review the statute in its entirety at the link provided below. It is suggested that schools reach out to their public water district for information about lead levels in the local supply.
Subsection 3
Beginning in the 2023-24 school year and for each subsequent school year, each school shall provide drinking water with a lead concentration level below five (5) parts per billion (ppb) in sufficient amounts to meet the drinking water needs of all students and staff as provided in this section.
Subsection 4
On or before January 1, 2024, each school shall:
- Create an inventory of water outlets used for drinking/cooking
- Create a plan for testing those outlets for lead and make the plan available to the public
- Provide access to information about the health effects of lead to the public
- Priority is to be given to facilities that house early childhood education programs, kindergartens and elementary schools
Before August 1, 2024, or the first day on which students will be present in the building, whichever is later, each school shall:
- Perform all testing
- Make test results and any remediation plans, available on the school’s website within two (2) weeks of receiving test results
- Remove and replace drinking water coolers or outlets determined not to meet the EPA’s Lead Contamination Control Act of 1988 (see exceptions in statute)
- If testing indicates that the water source (i.e. public water system) is the source of any contamination above the standard; a filter shall be installed at the water inlet into the building and at each water outlet inventoried too ensure standards are met, or provide purified water at each outlet
- If testing indicates that contamination is caused by internal piping; the school shall install filters at each water outlet inventoried, or provide purified water at each outlet
- If any plumbing components are replaced to remediate lead contamination, replacement components shall met standards of 40 CFR 143.12
- If test results exceed 5 PPB, the school shall:
- contact parents and staff within seven (7) business days with details described in the statute
- Provide bottled water if there is not enough water to meet drinking water needs of occupants
- Schools shall submit annual test results to DHSS
Subsection 5
On or before August 1, 2024 or the first day on which students will be present in the building, whichever is later, and annually thereafter, the school shall conduct testing on at least 25% of remediated drinking water outlets until all remediated outlets have been tested as recommended by EPA’s 2018 version of the 3Ts program.
Useful Webpages
- Official statute language
- Federal statute referenced in subsection 4.(6)
- EPA’s 3 T’s program for testing school’s water for lead (does not reflect Missouri requirements or standards)
- Information about lead in plumbing products
- List of DNR Certified chemistry labs for testing lead in water
- Funding currently available for facilities serving children under the age of six
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services contact info:
Main Line for the Bureau of Environmental Epidemiology (573) 751-6102
Email - HealthyDrinkingWater@health.mo.gov