California law already requires that tap water in public schools and child care centers be tested for lead and that schools have access to state funding to replace fixtures that leak lead.
But even with those measures in place to protect children, there are still faucets on the market that can leach the toxic metal into drinking water.
A bill that's now before the state senate — AB 100 — would ban the sale and manufacture of faucets and drinking fountain fixtures that leach more than 1 microgram of lead per liter of water.
The author of the bill, California Assemblyman Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), said that's five times lower than the current industry standard.
"Exposure to the lead, even at low levels, can cause serious health effects in all age groups," Holden said. "AB 100 would establish the lead leaching performance standard for faucets and fixtures to allow them to be considered lead-free."
If the bill becomes law, the new standards would go into effect in 2023. Holden noted that a similar bill he authored last year failed to advance out of an appropriations hearing.
