Notice to all licensed child day care centers!

As you may be aware, Assembly Bill 2370 (AB 2370) requires licensed child day care centers (CCCs) located on private property in California and that are located in a building that was constructed before January 1, 2010, to test for lead levels in their drinking water prior to January 1, 2023. CCCs must also notify parents or legal guardians of children enrolled in the CCCs of the requirement to test the drinking water and the results of the test. If lead in water exceeds the Action Level of 5 parts per billion (ppb), AB 2370 requires CCCs to immediately make inoperable and cease using the affected outlets and notify all parents and guardians of results. Testing for lead levels in drinking water must be conducted every five years after the date of the first lead testing.

Why is this important? Lead is a neurotoxin that is especially harmful to infants and young children. Drinking water outlets, especially older faucets, can be a common source of lead contamination. Lead most frequently gets into drinking water by leaching from plumbing materials and fixtures as water moves through your distribution system. Even though the drinking water you receive from your local utility provider meets federal and state standards for lead, your school/CCCs may have elevated lead levels due to aged plumbing materials and water use patterns. Identifying outlets that contribute lead to drinking water can help CCCs in determining how they can reduce children’s exposure to lead.

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has created an informational website on Lead Testing and Prevention in accordance with AB 2370. On July 28, 2021, a Provider Information Notice (PIN-21-21-CCP) was published with detailed information on testing requirements. The Program requires that a certified external water sampler collect samples at the CCCs.

Citadel is listed as a Certified External Water Sampler for AB 2370 and continues to be an industry leader for lead sampling and water quality testing. Citadel adheres to the applicable sampling requirements as outlined in AB 2370 by following the sampling guidance provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA’s) Training, Testing, and Taking Action (3Ts) program for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water, along with recommendations from the Division of Drinking Water (DDW) in conjunction with the AB 2370 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC).

If AB 2370 Lead Testing and Prevention is a concern for you— please contact Citadel EHS today. Our Principals of Environmental Sciences, Mark Drollinger and Nalinna Rasu have an expert team to support you and resolve your concerns in the most streamlined and cost effective way possible.