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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown
Protecting
Ohioans from Lead Poisoning
The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, is attracting a lot of attention
lately — and rightfully so. But while we work to help the people of
Flint, we must also remember that Flint is not the only town where
families face exposure to dangerous levels of lead.
Right here in Ohio, in the Village of Sebring, we know there are
troubling amounts of lead in the water. No parent should have to worry
that the water coming out of their faucets might be poisoning their
children. Pregnant women shouldn’t have to fear their tap water.
That’s why my office is drafting legislation to help. Just like in
Flint, families in Sebring were left in the dark about the presence of
lead in their water. For months, local officials failed to notify
residents about the lead — and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
failed to step in. Our bill will require the federal Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to notify the public directly if there’s a
danger from lead in the water system, if the state fails to do so
within 15 days.
No more arguing about whose responsibility it is, while families
continue drinking water that we know isn’t safe. No more finger
pointing after the fact. Our bill will lay down a marker that when
there is a problem with the water, people have a right to know — and if
the state fails, it’s the EPA’s job to make sure they do.
Improving notification is a critical first step, but it isn’t enough.
Our legislation would require communities whose water is contaminated
to put a plan in place to clean up their water supply within six
months. Right now, cities can take up to 18 months. Imagine getting a
notice that your water isn’t safe, but being told you have to wait up
to a year and a half before there is even a plan in place to fix it.
That’s unacceptable.
And in the meantime, families need to know there are resources
available to them while their water is being cleaned up — whether it’s
bringing in bottled water, providing special filters, or whatever may
be needed. Our legislation will make sure there is a clear plan in
place to deliver safe, clean water for families.
Finally, we will require the EPA to post annual water quality reports
online in one, easy to find place, so the public has access to
information about what’s going on with their water.
And as we work to respond to the immediate needs in Sebring and Flint,
we must also remember that this problem stretches far beyond just our
water systems. Too many of our children in cities throughout the state
are exposed to lead through paint in older homes and even through the
dirt in their backyards.
An investigation last fall found that more than 40,000 children in
Cuyahoga County, Ohio have tested positive for lead poisoning over the
past 10 years. Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention estimate that at least four million American households with
children are being exposed to high levels of lead.
It’s not enough to just react to the immediate crisis at hand — once
children have been exposed, the effects can’t be erased. We need a
proactive strategy to protect families from being exposed to lead in
the first place. This bill is just one piece of that puzzle. We are in
this fight for the long haul, and we will keep fighting to protect Ohio
families from lead.
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