Prince George's County parents want public schools to supply more safe water fountains

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. (7News) — 7News wants to know why it's taken Prince George's County Public Schools 19 years to supply safe, lead-free, and filtered water at fountains on each floor of its schools.

"This is a chronic problem. They started a lead remediating program in 2004 and they said they had finished all their steps in their strategic plan in 2018 - and here we are in 2023 and the schools do not have filtered water," says Christina Toy who has a student attending classes.

Since 2019, every school has been provided at least one filtered water fountain with a bottle fill, district officials told 7News. That's at least one filtered water fountain at each of its 200 schools with roughly 131,600 thirsty students combined.

What do you think the solution is?" asked 7 News I-Team Reporter Scott Taylor.

The solution is to get filtered water stations installed on every floor of the school," said Toy.

The District says it's looking into if all floors in schools have accessible water fountains or filtered water stations but right not can't confirm anything.

Parents told 7News that many students bring their water from home, ask a teacher for bottled water, or go to the school's kitchen to fill up their water bottles from a potable water station.

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7News asked to speak to Superintendent Millard House II on camera about the lack of water fountains. The district offered instead a building supervisor or the district's environmental specialist.

Eventually, 7News didn't speak to anyone on camera and the district sent an email saying, "All schools have between one and three filtered water filling stations based on school building size, with additional stations slated to be added this summer. It will add additional fountains as funding becomes available".

Here is the district's statement:

Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) provides safe, lead-free water for students and staff in all schools and facilities. In addition to providing bottled water for students and staff, all schools have between one and three filtered water filling stations based on school building size, with additional stations slated to be added this summer. We will continue to add additional fountains as funding becomes available and as we upgrade or replace facilities.

The water bottles the district supplied to students are kept in the classroom and not refrigerated. Over the past two years, the district has spent over $315,000 on bottled water.

Here is a link to Prince George's County Public Schools Water Testing Results.

"I think it limits a lot of kids who don't necessarily have autonomy to have the strength to ask their teacher for water," adds Toy.

Six years ago, the 7News I-Team broke the news that Prince George's County Public Schools had a dangerous issue with lead in its drinking water.

The district's lead testing in 2017 revealed more than 100 water sources, including classroom sinks or water fountains, had high lead levels.

One hit at more than 2,800 parts per billion, which was sky-high compared to the EPA's warning level of 15 parts per billion set back in 1991 and remains the current standard.

Three years ago, the district adopted a 5 parts per billion lead level for its drinking water.

The District did its most recent lead testing this year. It still has more than 100 drinking water sources above the 5 parts per billion lead level. Several elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools also register at more than the EPA lead level of 15 parts per billion.

SEE ALSO | Hazardous lead lurks in the drinking water of US schools, experts are urging the EPA to take action

7News also asked the district the following questions and below are district officials' answers:

1. How many schools have been retrofitted with filtered water drinking fountains since 2018?

District Answer: All schools have been provided at least one filtered fountain with a bottle fill completed in 2019.

2. What is the total cost of supplying bottled water to schools in the District this year?

District Answer: From 2020 to 2024 all students received bottled water as a response to COVID-19. However, prior to 2020, we averaged approximately $157,000 annually providing bottled water in response to elevated lead levels.

3. It’s been 6 years since Phase 4 was implemented. When does the District believe it will be finished with installing filtered water fountains in each school?

District Answer: Phase 4 provided all schools with at least one filtered drinking fountain with bottle fill capability.

"Do you think a school in 2023 should have water in a fountain that's drinkable?" asked Taylor.

"Absolutely. Absolutely. Everywhere. Water is a human right. It needs to be safe and any pollution in the water can affect our growing children's brains just like in Flint," Toy said. "We know there is damage in their brains if they drink lead or unfiltered water."