MN SF5380

Commissioners of health and education must jointly develop a drinking water management plan by August 1, 2025, requiring schools to install filtered bottle-filling stations at a ratio of at least one per 75 occupants and filtered faucets where bottle-filling stations are not feasible.

Schools must conduct annual water sampling and testing of filtered water to ensure lead concentrations do not exceed five parts per billion, with established schedules for filter cartridge replacement per manufacturer instructions.

Schools must immediately shut off water outlets showing lead levels at or above five parts per billion and post conspicuous signs; districts and charter schools must remediate and verify through retesting within 30 days or notify parents.

A clean drinking water account is established in the special revenue fund with an initial appropriation of $55,000,000 to assist school districts, charter schools, nonpublic schools, and licensed child care centers with acquisition, installation, and maintenance of filtered water systems and testing costs.

By October 1, 2025, schools may only install drinking fountains that are filtered bottle-filling stations; by the end of the 2026-2027 school year, all filtered systems must be installed and non-compliant water outlets shut off or rendered permanently inoperable.