Getting The Lead Out: Schools, Child Care Centers Prep For Water Testing

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Getting The Lead Out: Schools, Child Care Centers Prep For Water Testing

开云体育 | By Ric Cengeri,

Mitch Wertlieb

Published June 11, 2019 at 2:47 PM EDT

According to the Vermont Department of Health, 480 children under six years old were poisoned by lead in Vermont in 2017. The state is about to roll out a program to test drinking water for lead in all Vermont schools and child care facilities.

A passed by the Legislature would require the state to test all schools and child care centers in Vermont for lead levels in the water. The legislation focuses on the cohort most susceptible to neurological damage caused by lead: children up to age six. We'll hear about the effects of lead on children and the logistics of the program being set up to test these facilities.Joining Vermont Edition are , professor of environmental chemistry at Middlebury College, and David Grass, environmental health surveillance chief for . They'll discuss the logistics of testing for lead and how to mitigate its effects.

And Kelly LaMonda, the chief for the Health Department, will offer tips on keeping your home free of lead exposure.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Ric Cengeri

Ric was a producer for Vermont Edition and host of the VPR Cafe.

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Mitch Wertlieb

A graduate of NYU with a Master's Degree in journalism, Mitch has more than 20 years experience in radio news. He got his start as news director at NYU's college station, and moved on to a news director (and part-time DJ position) for commercial radio station WMVY on Martha's Vineyard. But public radio was where Mitch wanted to be and he eventually moved on to Boston where he worked for six years in a number of different capacities at member station WBUR...as a Senior Producer, Editor, and fill-in co-host of the nationally distributed Here and Now. Mitch has been a guest host of the national NPR sports program "Only A Game". He's also worked as an editor and producer for international news coverage with Monitor Radio in Boston.

See stories by Mitch Wertlieb