EPA to Provide $26M in Grants to Protect School, Child Care Drinking Water
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.
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Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].