Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

EPA to Provide $26M in Grants to Protect School, Child Care Drinking Water

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/18/25

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that it will award $26 million in grant funding to test and fix lead-contaminated water at U.S. schools and childcare centers, according to local news. The grants will come through the Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction Grant Program, and funds are eligible for all 50 U.S. states; Washington, D.C.; and four U.S. territories.

“Lead is a neurotoxin that can negatively impact American children,” said Lee Zeldin, EPA Administrator. “With $26 million in funding this year, more schools will be able to identify sources of lead in their water and take action so that our nation’s children can focus on learning, playing, and developing skills.”

The EPA has provided more than $200 million since 2018 toward reducing lead in drinking water. Other efforts include its “3Ts” program (Training, Testing, and Taking Action) to provide guidance to local and state officials in implementing voluntary lead reduction programs. According to local news, more than 20,000 childcare centers and 13,000 schools have participated in lead testing through the 3Ts program.

The grant program was established in 2016 through the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Preparing for the Next Era of Healthcare Education, Innovation

    Across the country, public universities and community colleges are accelerating investments in healthcare education facilities as part of a broader strategy to address workforce shortages, modernize outdated infrastructure, and expand clinical training capacity. These projects, which are often located at the center of campus health and science districts, are no longer limited to traditional classrooms.

  • Photo credit: Elkus Manfredi Architects

    University of Virginia Selects Design-Build Team for New Residential Complex

    The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., recently announced that it has selected a design-build team for a new upper-class residential development on campus, according to a news release. Capstone Development Partners—in partnership with Elkus Manfredi Architects and the Hoar Construction/Hourigan construction team—will move forward with the three-building, 310,000-square-foot housing facility.

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

Digital Edition