U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer wants the federal government to help daycare centers test their water for lead.
The New York Democrat announced legislation Wednesday that would allow daycare centers to seek grants from the Environmental Protection Agency to pay for the tests.
Schumer is already pushing legislation to fund tests in schools. He says it's essential to also test for lead in daycare facilities because children are most vulnerable to lead poisoning at an early age.
Water samples cost an average of $35 each and each test needs multiple samples to send to the EPA.
Earlier this year two elementary schools in Ithaca found dangerous amounts of lead in their water. Schumer says children under 6 face the most risk from lead, including learning and developmental disorders.
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