Biden-Harris Administration Announces $26 Million in Grants to Protect Children from Lead in Drinking Water at Schools and Childcare Facilities
WASHINGTON – Today, August 22, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $26 million in funding to protect children from lead in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities. This grant funding will be used by 55 states and territories and the District of Columbia 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.
“The science is clear: There is no safe level of exposure to lead,” said Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, this $26 million will help protect our children from the harmful impacts of lead. EPA is also investing $15 billion under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to remove lead pipes and is providing technical assistance to communities to help them develop and implement lead pipe replacement projects.”
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 today was authorized by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act and is provided to 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 U.S.
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.
