Florida Senate - 2022 SB 1648
By Senator Farmer
34-00509E-22 20221648__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to drinking water in public schools;
3 creating s. 1013.29, F.S.; providing legislative
4 findings; defining the term “drinking water source”;
5 requiring each school district to install a specified
6 number of water bottle filling stations with certified
7 point-of-use filters installed to remove lead;
8 requiring each school district to identify all
9 drinking water sources, install a barcode on each
10 source, and install filters that meet certain
11 specifications on all such sources; requiring that the
12 filters be replaced or maintained in a specified
13 manner; requiring each school district to post certain
14 signage on certain water sources and to publish
15 specified information on the school district’s
16 website; requiring each school district to create and
17 publish on its website a list of schools that are not
18 in compliance with certain requirements by a specified
19 date; requiring each school district to update its
20 list on a monthly basis; authorizing each school
21 district to use specified funds for certain purposes;
22 providing an effective date.
23
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26 Section 1. Section 1013.29, Florida Statutes, is created to
27 read:
28 1013.29 Prevention of lead in drinking water in public
29 schools.—
30 (1) The Legislature finds that:
31 (a) The adverse health effects of lead exposure in children
32 and adults are well documented, and no safe blood lead level in
33 children has been identified;
34 (b) Lead accumulates in the body and can be ingested from
35 various sources, including water sources used for drinking, food
36 preparation, or cooking; and
37 (c) All sources of lead should be controlled or eliminated
38 to prevent childhood lead poisoning.
39 (2) As used in this section, the term “drinking water
40 source” means any water source used for drinking, food
41 preparation, or cooking.
42 (3) For each district school, each school district shall do
43 all of the following:
44 (a) Install a minimum of one water bottle filling station
45 per 100 students which has a certified point-of-use filter
46 installed to remove lead. A school district may satisfy this
47 requirement by replacing existing drinking water fountains.
48 (b) Identify and install a barcode on all drinking water
49 sources.
50 (c)1. Install a filter that reduces lead in drinking water
51 on each drinking water source by the start of the 2023-2024
52 school year and thereafter maintain the filters to ensure that
53 lead concentration levels are below one part per billion. The
54 filters must be replaced no less frequently than provided for in
55 the manufacturer’s instructions. Filters and any replacement
56 filters must be certified as compliant with NSF/ANSI Standard
57 53. Sufficient filtered water must be available to meet the
58 drinking water needs of all students, faculty, and staff.
59 2. For each school cafeteria drinking water source, install
60 a filter that reduces lead in drinking water and, at a minimum,
61 maintain each filter in a manner consistent with the
62 manufacturer’s recommendations. The filter or all of the
63 filter’s component parts must meet NSF/ANSI Standard 53 or
64 NSF/ANSI Standard 61, as applicable.
65 (d) Post a conspicuous sign near each school water source
66 that is not a drinking water source. The sign must include
67 wording and an image that clearly communicate that water from
68 the source should not be used for human consumption or, if
69 applicable, food preparation or cooking.
70 (e) Publish on the school district’s website a list of all
71 drinking water sources at such schools. At a minimum, the list
72 must include for each drinking water source all of the
73 following:
74 1. The date on which the current filter was installed.
75 2. The date on which the current filter is scheduled to be
76 replaced.
77 3. The barcode identification number associated with the
78 source.
79 4. Any actions necessary to comply with the requirements of
80 this section which have been completed or are pending.
81 (4) Each school district shall create and publish on its
82 website no later than 30 days after the start of the 2023-2024
83 school year a list of schools that are not in compliance with
84 the requirements of subsection (3). Each school district shall
85 update its list on a monthly basis.
86 (5) Each school district may use any portion of its
87 allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Pub. L.
88 No. 117-2, which may be used for school facility repairs and
89 improvements to meet the requirements of this section.
90 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.