State Senator Andy Dinniman cited his personal experience in discovering exceptionally high levels of lead in the water at his West Chester district office, as the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee unanimously approved legislation to study the scope and impact of lead issues in Pennsylvania, according to a staff report from Daily Local News.

“We must be proactive and vigilant in identifying and amending potential lead issues here in Pennsylvania and Chester County, especially in light of our effort to preserve historic structures and incorporate their reuse,” said Dinniman.

Senate Bill 16, which has been forwarded to the Senate floor, will study the age of housing stock, lead pipes, school buildings, as well as day care centers throughout the state. There will also be a task force created to study best practices and offer recommendations on how to remedy lead issues throughout Pennsylvania.

Dinniman also pointed out that water is not the only possible source for lead poisoning, as many schools, day care facilities, public buildings, and homes are still coated in lead-based paints.

“It is time we take action to analyze the Commonwealth’s potential lead issue to ensure that our children and our communities are safe,” said Dinniman. “I would have never thought that the lead content in water at my West Chester district office was more than three times the acceptable level.”

Read more about the approved bill at Daily Local News here, and check out previous VISTA Today coverage of Senator Andy Dinniman here.