Lead seeps into drinking water from parts connected to home plumbing and service lines.
Betsy Sutherland, a member of the nonprofit Environmental Protection Network and former director of the EPA Office of Science and Technology, said research has shown for decades there is no safe level of lead exposure, particularly for children. She noted lead poisoning causes severe damage to the brain and nervous system.
"The reason we're so concerned about children, even our infants if they're not breastfed, they're going to be using formula that takes water from the tap for that formula," Sutherland pointed out. "We know that provides a high dose of lead."
According to a 2016 report by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, more than 400 Kentucky public water systems have collected and tested water samples for lead at households and businesses. More than 77% of samples had no detection of lead, while around 1% exceeded the federal limit of 15 parts per billion.
Sutherland added the new EPA rule requires public water systems supplying schools to regularly sample their elementary schools and their licensed day care centers but does not require schools to swap out lead pipes.
"The problem with lead in schools is coming from the plumbing inside the school, and EPA did not have authority to require schools to rip out all their plumbing inside the schools and replace them," Sutherland explained.
According to the advocacy group Focus First on Children, older school buildings and daycare centers are a major source of lead pollution for children. Nationwide an estimated 400,000 facilities may have elevated lead levels in water systems.
