SEATTLE (AP) — Washington school districts get to decide for themselves whether to test drinking water for lead.

The state health department changed the rules in 2009, but lawmakers have never put the estimated $5 million statewide testing cost into the state budget. So a patchwork exists.

The Associated Press asked all 295 Washington school districts plus tribal districts whether they test for lead in the water. Of the 174 districts that responded to AP, nearly 40 percent said they do not do test for lead. Most big, well-funded districts test their water. Many small ones do not.

And of the 106 that reported they do lead testing, 28 districts started after the Tacoma Public Schools revealed last month that 13 of its elementary schools have tested positive for lead in drinking water.

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