As a kid, Dontavius Jarrells suffered lead poisoning. It was serious enough that he was in and out of the hospital. And there were other effects.
"I had speech pathology classes from the time I was in kindergarten all the way to fifth grade. That means I was pulled out of class and taught how to speak, all because of the visceral effects of lead in my system," Jarrells said.
Jarrells is using his voice as a Democratic state lawmaker to sponsor a bill that would spend $4.9 billion to replace all of the 745,000 lead service lines now in Ohio.
“Where you live should not determine whether you live," said Jarrells.
Jarrells, who is Black, said minorities are most likely to deal with lead poisoning from old, lead-filled water lines.
“Make no mistake. This is more than just an economic issue. This is a moral issue," Jarrells said. "Lead poisoning disproportionately affects Black and brown communities, low-income families, and those who are often forgotten in the corridors of our community.”
Under Jarrell’s plan, the replacement process would happen over 15 years. He hasn’t identified money to pay for the plan, but said federal dollars are available and the state could draw down on those to help pay for new service lines.
And, while he estimated the cost would be around $4.9 billion, he pointed to a study by the Ohio Environmental Council that showed Ohio's economy could grow by between $145 billion and $185 billion over the next 15 years in saved physical and mental health care costs and reduced water waste.
At this point, Jarrells doesn't have co-sponsors but said he expects that to change once his fellow lawmakers get a chance to examine the legislation. Legislators are not expected back until after the November election. If the bill doesn't pass this year, Jarrells said if he's re-elected he'll bring it back next year.
The state's H2Ohio plan includes some money to help get rid of lead in water lines serving daycare centers and schools. Some cities are also trying to get rid of lead in the water supply. Since lead can't be seen, tasted or smelled in water, Ohioans who think they have lead in their water are urged to get it tested. If the water contains lead, they're urged to use bottled or filtered drinking water. But as Jarrells points out, many families cannot afford those options, making a permanent fix more important than ever.
