Schools and child care centers in Colorado will soon begin testing drinking water for lead contamination after Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill funding the tests and remediation plan on Tuesday.

House Bill 1358 requires that, by May 31, 2023, the organizations use a state-certified laboratory to measure lead in their drinking water and report the results to the state. The bill provides $18 million to pay for the testing and remediation for facilities that yield positive for lead contamination – defined as 5 parts per billion or more – such as filters or bottle filling stations.

“Every child should have clean water to drink, period,” said Sen. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, who sponsored the bill. “Unfortunately, far too many students face the threat of drinking water at school contaminated with lead, and that is simply unacceptable.”

In Colorado, 72% of children under 6 have detectable levels of lead in their blood – much higher than the national average of 51%, according to a national analysis. Even low levels of lead exposure can negatively affect a child’s IQ, behavior, learning ability, growth and hearing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Under the bill, preschools and elementary schools will be tested first, followed by middle schools, if funding is still available. Home-based child care centers are included in the bill but can opt out if they so choose.

“Clean, lead-free drinking water in schools and childcare centers cuts down the risk of dangerous, lifelong impacts to children’s health and well-being,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver, who also sponsored the bill. “Colorado’s youngest learners deserve clean water, and this law ensures facilities that care for children have appropriate and updated water filtration systems.”

Lawmakers passed the bill with bipartisan support, with the Senate voting, 28-7, in favor of the bill and the House passing it, 43-19. All 26 lawmakers who voted against the bill are Republicans, some of whom argued that it is unclear whether lead contamination is an issue within Colorado’s schools and child care centers.

In 2017, the legislature created a fund for voluntary lead testing programs for schools. Only 64 schools utilized the tests, of which 40 tested positive for lead. No such tests have been conducted for child care centers.