providing safe drinking water in public and private schools

Wisconsin Legislature: AB129: Bill Text

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AB129: Bill Text

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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-0452/1
FFK:cjs
2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 129
March 13, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives
Mursau
,
Novak
,
Behnke
,
Donovan
and
Tusler
, cosponsored by Senator
Jacque
. Referred to Committee on Education.
AB129,1,2
1
An Act

to create
20.255 (2) (ef) and 118.073 of the statutes;
relating to:

2
providing safe drinking water in public and private schools.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
By no later than approximately 15 months after the date this bill becomes law, the governing body of each public and private school in this state must develop a drinking water management plan for the private or public school. Under the bill, each drinking water management plan must 1) specify the locations of filtered bottle-filling stations and filtered faucets maintained to deliver water for human consumption, of water outlets maintained for purposes other than for human consumption, and of water outlets that are shut off or permanently inoperable; 2) provide at least one filtered bottle-filling station for every 100 occupants of the school; 3) provide for the installation of a filtered faucet only when the installation of a filtered bottle-filling station is not feasible and a water outlet for human consumption is necessary; and 4) provide a schedule for water sampling and testing at each filtered bottle-filling station and filtered faucet in the school for lead, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and a schedule for replacing filter cartridges used in filtered bottle-filling stations and filtered faucets.
Under the bill, if water testing under a drinking water management plan indicates lead at a concentration between one part per billion and five parts per billion, the governing body of a public or private school must take certain actions, including checking water filters, ensuring that the filtered bottle-filling station or faucet is properly installed, and retesting the filtered water. If water testing under a drinking water management plan indicates lead at a concentration that is more than five parts per billion or the presence of PFOA or PFOS at a level that exceeds a state or federal standard, the governing body of a public or private school must immediately shut off the water outlet, post a sign stating that the water outlet is shut off due to the high concentration of lead, PFOA, or PFOS, whichever applies, replace the water filters, and retest the water. If the subsequent water testing continues to indicate lead, PFOA, or PFOS that exceeds the relevant threshold, the governing body of the public or private school must 1) within 30 days, send a copy of the test results and information provided by the Department of Natural Resources about childhood exposure to lead or PFOA and PFOS, whichever is applicable, to parents and guardians of pupils who attend the school and to the Department of Public Instruction and 2) develop a remediation plan in consultation with DPI. Under the bill, all water testing must be conducted at a laboratory certified for lead and copper testing using the method approved by the federal environmental protection agency.
By August 1, 2027, the bill requires the governing body of each public and private school to install filtered bottle-filling stations and filtered faucets in accordance with the school’s drinking water management plan, and to shut off all water outlets that provide water for human consumption that are not filtered bottle-filling stations or filtered faucets. Beginning approximately 15 months after the bill becomes law, the bill prohibits the installation of a drinking fountain that is not a filtered bottle-filling station in a public or private school.
The bill requires DPI to assist governing bodies of public and private schools to comply with the requirements created in the bill. Specifically, the bill requires DPI to develop a drinking water management plan template, to make annual training available related to water sampling and testing protocols and other activities relevant to complying with the requirements created in the bill, and to provide various information related to filtered bottle-filling stations, filtered faucets, and filter cartridges. Finally, the bill authorizes DPI to award grants to governing bodies of public and private schools to assist with the costs of complying with the requirements in the bill. The bill does not provide funding for these grants but does require DPI to submit a request for supplemental funding to the Joint Committee on Finance.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB129,1
1
Section
1
.
20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place,
2
insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated:
-
See PDF for table

AB129,2
7
Section
2
.
20.255 (2) (ef) of the statutes is created to read:
AB129,2,10
8
20.255
(2)
(ef)
Safe drinking water; grants.
The amounts in the schedule for
9
grants awarded to school boards, governing boards, and governing bodies under s.
10
118.073 (6).
AB129,3
11
Section
3
.
118.073 of the statutes is created to read:
AB129,2,12
12
118.073

Safe drinking water.

(1)
In this section:
AB129,2,15
13
(a) “Bubbler fixture” means a fixture on a drinking fountain through which
14
water is forced up in a small arc from a nozzle that allows an individual to drink
15
from the arc directly.
AB129,2,18
16
(b) “Drinking fountain” means a plumbing fixture that is connected to the
17
potable water distribution system and drainage system that allows a user to obtain
18
a drink directly from a stream of flowing water without the use of any accessory.
AB129,2,20
19
(c) “Filtered bottle-filling station” means an apparatus that meets all of the
20
following requirements:
AB129,2,21
21
1. The apparatus is connected to customer site piping.
AB129,3,2
22
2. The apparatus filters water and is certified to meet NSF/ANSI standard 53
1
for lead reduction and perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate
2
reduction and NSF/ANSI standard 42 for particulate removal.
AB129,3,4
3
3. The flow rate through the apparatus is paired to the specified flow rate of
4
the filter cartridge.
AB129,3,6
5
4. The apparatus has a light or other device to indicate filter cartridge
6
replacement status.
AB129,3,8
7
5. The apparatus is designed to fill drinking bottles or other containers for
8
personal water consumption.
AB129,3,9
9
6. The apparatus includes a drinking fountain.
AB129,3,13
10
(d) “Filtered faucet” means a faucet that at the point of use includes a filter
11
that is certified to meet NSF/ANSI standard 53 for lead reduction and
12
perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate reduction and NSF/ANSI
13
standard 42 for particulate removal.
AB129,3,15
14
(e) “School” means a public school, including a charter school, or a private
15
school.
AB129,3,23
16
(2)
(a) By no later than the first day of the 16th month after the effective date
17
of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], the school board, governing board, or
18
governing body that governs a school shall develop for the school a drinking water
19
management plan, and make the plan available to the department, school staff,
20
parents and guardians of pupils attending the school, and the general public, upon
21
request. The school board, governing board, or governing body that governs the
22
school shall ensure that a plan developed under this paragraph does all of the
23
following:
AB129,4,3
1
1. Specifies each location where a filtered bottle-filling station or filtered
2
faucet will be maintained to deliver water for human consumption, whether as
3
drinking water or as a component of a food or beverage.
AB129,4,5
4
2. Specifies each location where a water outlet will be maintained for
5
purposes other than human consumption.
AB129,4,7
6
3. Specifies each location where a water outlet will be shut off or rendered
7
permanently inoperable.
AB129,4,10
8
4. Provides for the maintenance of at least one filtered bottle-filling station for
9
every 100 occupants of the school, not including visitors or individuals attending
10
special events.
AB129,4,14
11
5. Provides for the installation of filtered faucets only when the installation of
12
a filtered bottle-filling station is not feasible but a water outlet for human
13
consumption is necessary, including in kitchens, nurses’ stations, and teachers’
14
lounges.
AB129,4,15
15
6. Provides a schedule for when each of the following will occur:
AB129,4,20
16
a. Water sampling and testing of the filtered water at each filtered bottle-
17
filling station and filtered faucet in the school to ensure that the filters are properly
18
installed and provide water that has a lead concentration of not more than 5 parts
19
per billion and that does not contain perfluorooctanoic acid or perfluorooctane
20
sulfonate at a level that exceeds a state or federal standard.
AB129,4,23
21
b. The regular replacement of the filter cartridge for each filtered bottle-
22
filling station and filtered faucet in compliance with the manufacturer instructions
23
or recommendations of the department.
AB129,5,4
1
(b) The school board, governing board, or governing body that governs a school
2
shall review and update a plan developed under par. (a) at least once every 5 years
3
and make changes as directed by the department or as needed to comply with this
4
section.
AB129,5,7
5
(c) The school board, governing board, or governing body that governs a school
6
shall comply with the schedules provided in the plan developed under par. (a) for
7
the school.
AB129,5,11
8
(d) If the water sampling and testing required to be included in a school’s plan
9
under par. (a) 6. a. indicates the presence of lead at a concentration of one part per
10
billion or more but not more than 5 parts per billion, the school board, governing
11
board, or governing body that governs the school shall do all of the following:
AB129,5,14
12
1. Immediately check the status of the filter at the filtered bottle-filling
13
station or filtered faucet and replace the filter cartridge if the status light or other
14
device indicates that replacement is or will soon be required.
AB129,5,16
15
2. Ensure the filtered bottle-filling station or filtered faucet is properly
16
installed.
AB129,5,17
17
3. Resample and retest the filtered water.
AB129,5,20
18
4. If water sampling and testing under subd. 3. indicates the presence of lead
19
at a concentration of one part per billion or more but not more than 5 parts per
20
billion, do all of the following:
AB129,5,23
21
a. Submit a copy of the test results and a document that lists the make and
22
model of the filtered bottle-filling station or filtered faucet and filter cartridge to
23
the department.
AB129,6,2
1
b. Consult with the department and filtered bottle-filling station or filtered
2
faucet manufacturer.
AB129,6,8
3
(e) If the water sampling and testing required to be included in a school’s plan
4
under par. (a) 6. a. indicates the presence of lead at a concentration of more than 5
5
parts per billion or the presence of perfluorooctanoic acid or perfluorooctane
6
sulfonate at a level that exceeds a state or federal standard, the school board,
7
governing board, or governing body that governs the school shall do all of the
8
following:
AB129,6,9
9
1. Immediately shut off or otherwise render inoperable the water outlet.
AB129,6,13
10
2. Post a conspicuous sign near the water outlet stating that the water outlet
11
is inoperable because of high lead concentration or a high level of perfluorooctanoic
12
acid or perfluorooctane sulfonate, whichever is applicable, and maintain the sign
13
until the water outlet is returned to service under subd. 5.
AB129,6,15
14
3. Replace the filter cartridge in the filtered bottle-filling station or filtered
15
faucet.
AB129,6,16
16
4. Resample and retest the water.
AB129,6,20
17
5. If water sampling and testing under subd. 4. indicates the presence of lead
18
at a concentration of one part per billion or more but not more than 5 parts per
19
billion, return the water outlet to service and comply with the requirements under
20
par. (d) 2. to 4.
AB129,7,2
21
6. If water sampling and testing under subd. 4. indicates the presence of lead
22
at a concentration of more than 5 parts per billion or the presence of
1
perfluorooctanoic acid or perfluorooctane sulfonate at a level that exceeds a state or
2
federal standard, do all of the following:

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