LEE COUNTY, Fla. — A new study shows Florida gets a failing grade when it comes to lead-contaminated water. And researchers said it’s because the state doesn’t require schools to test for lead on a regular basis.
This isn’t the first time Florida got a failing grade for water contamination. In 20-17 Environment America and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) evaluated how water was tested in schools across the country. That same group tested the water again this year, and Florida still received a failing grade.
Southwest Florida isn’t doing a much better job of testing water in schools either. Charlotte County does limited testing each year. Collier and Lee Counties test only the county water, which is considered partial testing since most schools get their water from the county. They only test water at the county water plant, which meets the state’s requirement of water quality testing for public utilities, which does not include schools.
