H.R. 562·Middle School Beginner
A Bill to Test Drinking Water in Public Middle Schools Annually
Rep. Kim (D-NY)
Public middle schools must test all drinking water sources for lead annually.
Sec. 1 — Mandate
Public middle schools shall test every drinking-water source for lead at least once per school year.
Sec. 2 — Disclosure
Results shall be posted publicly within 30 days.
Sec. 3 — Funding
$28 million for testing through EPA.
Sec. 4 — Enforcement
EPA may fine non-reporting districts.
Tournament Prep
Mechanical parts, sourced & timed
Use this as your pre-round checklist. Memorize the source citation. Time yourself to the delivery target.
- Bill / Number
- H.R. 562 — A Bill to Test Drinking Water in Public Middle Schools Annually
- Funding source
- $28M EPA Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation funds.
- Timeline
- Annual testing requirement.
- Realistic — testing is routine; remediation may take longer.
- Enforcing agency
- Environmental Protection Agency.
- Yes — EPA's Safe Drinking Water Act authority.
- Penalty for non-compliance
- EPA fines for non-reporting up to $25K per violation under SDWA.
- Source citation
- U.S. EPA (2023), 'Lead in Drinking Water in Schools and Childcare Facilities' — epa.gov.
- Delivery time (read aloud)
- 55s
Strongest counter-argument
Annual testing is overkill — schools should test only when systems change.
Your pre-emptive answer
EPA (2023) found lead levels in school water vary seasonally with usage patterns. Newark's annual program (2019-2023) caught 47 fixtures that prior triennial testing had missed.