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Newly-Passed Senate Bill Requires NY State Parks to Test for Water Potability

Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris announced the Senate had passed his bill, S.1256, requiring local and state parks to test water fixtures for lead and make repairs to any deemed unsafe.

The bill requires that the park’s staff test for potable water every three years to see whether there is any lead contamination. If lead is found in water in parks, the park would have 90 days to bring lead levels down to acceptable levels.

Every test carried out on the water would be sent to the state for review and posted online for the public.

The bill summary states that recent test results in public parks in New York City have yielded “alarming” lead water testing rates, which demonstrates the need for more stringent testing in parks.

“There is nothing more important than the safety of our children, and we have a responsibility to ensure we are not endangering them through public water supplies,” Gianaris said. “I am proud the Senate passed this critical safety measure that will save children’s lives.”

A law enacted in 2016 required schools to test for lead in water every five years; no such mandate exists for public parks. Senator Gianaris’ legislation increases the scope of testing to include parks, requires testing to occur more frequently, and creates open data disclosure of the information.

“I am very glad to see this bill move forward. Addressing lead exposure remains an urgent and important issue for communities across New York,” said  Danny O’Donnell, sponsor of the Assembly bill, A.04551. 

“Children and expecting parents spend countless hours during the warmer months in our parks and playgrounds, and it is crucial that they have safe drinking water readily available.”

O’Donnell and Gianaris said that recent tests had revealed many park drinking fountains with lead levels between 5 to 15 parts per billion. An overwhelming majority of these fountains are located in Staten Island, the Bronx, Harlem Washington Heights, and Inwood.

“Having lead testing and remediation plans in place is key for the health and safety of future generations all over New York,” O’Donnell said.

The Senate bill passed on April 4. It currently resides in the Assembly Health Committee.

This article originally appeared on The Legislative Gazette.

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Joseph Wright
Joseph Wright
March 24, 2024 3:31 pm

Isn’t it interesting how parks are now required to check their water fixtures for lead? It’s so important for all of us to know this stuff. Let’s stay informed about water quality at parks. Community programs can help spread the word about safe drinking water. Let’s keep our parks clean and safe!

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Hi, you might find this article from Modern Campground interesting: Newly-Passed Senate Bill Requires NY State Parks to Test for Water Potability! This is the link: https://moderncampground.com/usa/new-york/newly-passed-senate-bill-requires-ny-state-parks-to-test-for-water-potability/