The Flint water crisis put Michigan in the spotlight when it came to elevated blood lead levels — the contaminated water led to critical health impacts.

Even low levels of lead cause impaired brain development of fetuses, infants, and young children, which leads to a lifetime of harm, including reduced physical growth, hearing impairment, behavioral problems, and harm to the central nervous system and kidneys.

Flint may be the most prominent example, but we know that lead is in school plumbing across the state. All of Michigan’s 1.5 million children are at risk, including in Northeast Michigan. In fact, 4.1% of kids tested in Alpena County had elevated blood lead levels in 2021, which is higher than the statewide average of 3.5% for that year, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

There is no safe level of lead exposure. That’s why it’s so important that we work to protect our kids.

An estimated nine in 10 Michigan schools have detectable lead levels in their water. Of 19 samples taken from one school in the 106th state House District, which includes Alpena County, 5% contained lead.

The “Filter First” bills currently in the state Legislature will ensure all schools and child care centers in Michigan follow the approach designed and recommended by drinking water and public health experts to reduce lead.

The bills, officially Senate Bills 88 and 89, passed out of the Michigan Senate Energy and Environment Committee unanimously on March 21.

The Michigan League for Public Policy and our partners strongly support those bills and hope that the Senate will vote to approve them this week. We also hope the Legislature will move quickly on companion legislation, House Bills 4340 through 4342.

Lead exposure in schools and child care centers is especially concerning, because kids of all ages spend so much time in those spaces. And, when students and staff aren’t in the buildings — on weekends and over long breaks — water sits stagnant in the pipes. That lack of water flow dilutes the effectiveness of corrosion control chemicals designed to keep water healthy.

The Filter First bills call for schools to provide one filtered drinking water station for every 100 students and staff and test water from the filtered drinking stations annually to ensure the filters are working properly. Filtered drinking water stations are drinking water fountains with bottle fillers and filters that are certified for lead removal. Those devices can replace old water fountains, be retrofitted for existing fountains, or be installed independently. On-tap or in-fridge filters are allowed to be used in school kitchens and where filter stations are not practical.

And, since child care centers are located in a wide variety of buildings, the Filter First bills create more flexibility for child care centers while still protecting children’s health. Instead of requiring child care centers to install filtered drinking water stations, the bills ensure that water furnished to children in child care centers comes from a filtered source. Those sources could be a low-cost on-tap filter or filtered pitcher.

The Legislature has already appropriated funding for the Filter First program, but policy bills are critical to ensure the funding is well implemented.

Senate Bills 88 and 89 are the implementation bills for that funding to ensure the state departments properly launch the program and provide guidance to schools and child care centers for how to adopt a filter first method.

Without the implementation bills, state departments may not spend the funding effectively and Michigan will lose out on the opportunity to comprehensively protect children.

Michigan’s kids need clean, fresh water to stay healthy and strong. Limiting exposure to lead will help children avoid health problems, stay in school and grow up with more opportunities.

Filter First is a clear pathway to a healthier future for Michigan’s youngest residents.

Julie Cassidy is senior policy analyst at the Michigan League for Public Policy.