Good afternoon,

Maryland House Bill 270 (Testing for Lead in Drinking Water - Public and Nonpublic Schools) was passed during the 2017 legislative session.  The proposed action on the regulations was published in the Maryland Register on February 2, 2018 (http://www.dsd.state.md.us/MDR/4503.pdf), and the proposed effective date of the regulations is April 9, 2018. 

The law and regulations require that all public and nonpublic schools, grades pre-K through 12, test all drinking water outlets for the presence of lead in the water.  Elementary schools and schools constructed prior to 1988 must collect samples by July 1, 2018 (while school is in session), however, testing deferrals and waivers may be granted under specific conditions.   

To assist schools with implementing the lead testing requirements and understanding the regulations, MDE is hosting a series of training sessions throughout the State (Central, Eastern, Western, and Southern Maryland).  The training is geared toward the schools' Facilities Department staff.

The first training session for the Central region of Maryland will be held at MDE, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland, on Friday, March 23, 2018, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM (see below for registration information).

Other training dates/locations are scheduled as follows:

1.  Thursday, April 12, 2018, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, College of Southern Maryland, LaPlata, Maryland

2.  Tuesday, April 17, 2018, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM,Easton Volunteer Fire Company, Easton, Maryland

3.  Wednesday,April 25, 2018, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Center for Educational Services, Hagerstown, Maryland

Please try to attend one of these training sessions.

In order to facilitate participation, the class size is limited to 60 people, so only 1 to 2 people from each organization may attend.  Organizations representing large groups of schools are encouraged to attend the training and, in turn, disseminate the information to the individual schools. 

Training will include information on sample collection, deferrals, waivers, parent notification, and remediation.  

If you are interested in attending the training on Friday, March 23, at MDE, please respond to this email by Wednesday, March 21, with the following information:

1.  Name

2.  Title

3.  Organization

4.  email address

5.  Telephone number

The training will begin at 10:00 AM and will end at 12:00 PM; registration begins at 9:30 AM.  Directions to MDE are attached.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), individuals needing special accommodations are encouraged to notify MDE, Fair Practices Office at 800-633-6101 x3964 or 410-537-3964 prior to the training class.

Please feel free to contact me at 410-537-3729 or via email if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Christina Ardito

MDE Water Supply Program