Aaron Colonnese Creative Associate Author: Aaron Colonnese Creative Associate, A. C. (2020, August 19). The results are in: At more than 1,300 California schools, there’s lead in the drinking water. Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://calpirg.org/blogs/blog/cap/results-are-more-1300-california-schools-there%E2%80%99s-lead-drinking-water
data show that over 53 percent of reporting districts have tested positive for excessive levels of lead in water fountains expelled liquid. A “healthy water fountain” would only show 1 ppb of lead, whereas a school in hanford showed 2,000 ppb of lead in their water fountains system. Along with countless other schools that are exposing their students to lethal amounts of lead. To make the situation more catastrophic, scientists estimate that 24 million kids will suffer a loss of Iq due to lead exposure, in the very same place we come to be enriched. This dilemma has been going on for too long; dating back to 2014 in flint michigan the drinking water of the entire city had been contaminated with lead, along with more than 8,000 children under the age of 6 showing exposure. To put an end to this all lead bearing parts were replaced in unified school districts in places such as los angeles and oakland as pilots for this new endeavor. The old service lines were replaced with filters certified to remove lead at every tap that are used for drinking and cooking, which did a splendid job at solving the task at hand. San diegos clay elementary school now tests 1 ppb.
This article served as an eye opener as it should now that I know my body has most likely been exposed to lead multiple times throughout the day as a result of unclean irrigation. For such a wealthy state, it is a shame that our water can cause neurological complications because of exposure to contaminants. Additionally, the use of public faucets and water fountains comes to mind; which only sparks wonder to as whether these show impurities. This articles relation to environmental science is the future impacts it poses. The amount of children who have suffered from lead poisoning could be far greater than we expect, which as said causes a decrease in IQ. If it is, we could be facing the reality of having a less intelligent future generation, in turn will cause for a primitive century of environmental science endeavors. All as a resulting from the early depletion of a child’s cognitive functioning.
This is crazy to read about considering the school is about providing a safe place and protect their students. And that this contamination has been happening for years. Schools’ job is to educate but it’s crazy to think this lead contamination leads to lower IQ. I get it’s not the school’s fault for contamination, but in the end, the health of the students should be prioritized. In my experience in school, is that we use water for many things like labs, but most importantly most students use water provided by sinks and faucets. Students perhaps even myself unknowingly ingested lead very scary to think about. My question is that what is the main cause of this lead contamination?
Will the decrease in IQ really impact that many people?
It was really interesting to learn that most of us have been exposed to lead as a result of unclean irrigation! I was wondering if you think there is a sort of filter to make sure we are not exposed to lead?