EPA announces $210,000 in grants to protect children from lead in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities
Biden-Harris Administration announced a total of $26 million across the United States to protect children from lead in drinking water where they learn and play
BOSTON (AUGUST 27, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced $26 million in funding, including $210,000 allotted for New Hampshire, to protect children from lead in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities. This grant funding will be used to reduce lead exposure where children learn and play while advancing the goals of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan.
“Every person, every child, deserves safe and clean drinking water. As students, staff, and teachers start returning to classrooms across New England, no one should have to worry whether the water their loved one drinks at school or daycare is safe,” said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “This funding for testing water taps at schools and childcare facilities will help ensure that every child in New Hampshire can learn and grow in an environment free from the dangers of lead exposure. Coupled with the historic $15 billion investments under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to identify and replace lead pipes, we’re working together with our partners to protect the health of our communities and to ensure a future for all of our children that is safe and lead-free.”
“No parent should worry that the water their child might drink at school or daycare is contaminated, which is why investing in our water infrastructure is so important for Granite State families,” said U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen. “As a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and a lead negotiator of the water provisions of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I’m pleased to see the funding I worked to secure be put to use in New Hampshire to help communities ensure that no child is exposed to lead contaminated water.”
“It’s great to see the bipartisan infrastructure law continuing to deliver for our state with this latest round of federal funding for clean water in our schools and child care centers,” said U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan. “Every child in New Hampshire deserves safe drinking water at home and at school, and I will continue working to ensure that all Granite Staters have access to clean and safe drinking water.”
“Whether at school, a child care facility, or home, no one should have to worry about having access to safe and clean drinking water,” said U.S. Representative Chris Pappas. “I fought to pass the bipartisan infrastructure law to deliver these federal resources to New Hampshire that help protect the health of Granite State families and children, safeguard clean water, and modernize our infrastructure. This funding will help accomplish that by ensuring our children are learning and growing in a safe environment.”
In children, lead can severely harm mental and physical development, slowing down learning, and irreversibly damaging the brain. In adults, lead can cause increased blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function, and cancer.
The funding announced this past week was authorized by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act and is provided to 55 states, the District of Columbia, and participating territories as grants for lead testing and remediation in schools and childcare facilities. Since 2019, the Voluntary School and Childcare Lead Testing and Reduction Grant has provided over $150 million in funding to conduct testing and removal of lead sources in drinking water in schools and childcare facilities across the United States.
The grant program requires recipients to use the 3Ts – Training, Testing and Taking Action – to reduce lead in drinking water. The 3Ts Program provides valuable resources for states, territories, and Tribes to take action on lead and protect children in early care and educational settings. Learn more about the 3Ts Program.
Learn more about EPA’s Voluntary School and Childcare Lead Testing and Reduction Grant Program.
EPA is also advancing its Get the Lead Out (GLO) initiative, which is partnering with underserved communities nationwide to provide the technical assistance they need to identify and remove lead service lines. GLO is specifically helping participating communities identify lead services lines, develop replacement plans, and apply for funding to get the lead out. Communities seeking to access GLO Initiative resources can request assistance by completing the WaterTA request form on EPA’s WaterTA website.
Background
The Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law dedicated an unprecedented $15 billion to removing lead from drinking water. This funding can be used to deliver on the White House's Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan by encouraging federal, state, and local governments to use every tool to deliver clean drinking water, replace lead pipes, and remediate lead paint. It is especially critical to make improvements to places where children spend significant time such as schools, childcare centers, family childcare centers, preschools, and Head Start programs.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law builds on successful programs like the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act’s Grant Programs to bring more benefits to communities across the country.
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