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    Information for Schools and Day Care Facilities

    Exposure to lead is a significant health concern, especially for young children and infants whose growing bodies tend to absorb  more lead than the average adult. Drinking water is one possible source of lead exposure. Infants whose diets consist mainly of liquid can get 40 - 60% of their lead exposure from water. Some drinking water pipes, taps, solder and other plumbing components contain lead. Lead in the plumbing may leach into water and pose a health risk when consumed.

    Testing water in schools and daycare facilities is important because children spend a significant portion of their days in these facilities, and likely consume water while there. The longer water remains in contact with leaded plumbing, the more opportunity exists for lead to leach into water. As a result, facilities with on again/off again water use patterns, such as schools and daycare facilities, may have elevated lead concentrations in the water. EPA recommends that action be taken at a specific water fixture when the lead concentration is elevated.

    Lead Comes From the Plumbing

    Even though water delivered from the community's public water supply must meet EPA standards for lead, it is possible a building may have lead exceedances in drinking water due to lead and lead-containing plumbing materials and water use patterns. Conducting lead in drinking water testing at each water ficture is a way to learn more about facility drinking water plumbing.

    Testing for Lead at a School or Child Care Facility

    EPA strongly encourages schools and child care facilities to test the water for lead, particularly if food, drinks, and/or formula are prepared on-site. Each water fixture should be tested for lead.

    PA DEP through a technical assistance contracctor is offering lead sampling for public schools and public or private child care facilities.  

    • ​​Website for enrollment and training information will be available soon. 

    PA DEP is offering lead remediation grant funding through the Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction Grant Program for eligible public schools and eligible public or private child care facilities. Interested eligible entities must have appropriate drinking water sample results demonstrating an exceedance of 5 parts per billion within 36 months of the application date. 

    • ​​For more information on the grant, scroll down tothe Funding section or click here​
    • To apply, click here
    • For more information on testing, including guidance for developing a sampling program and information on remedies, click here to go to EPA's web site.

    The PA Department of Education (PDE) has a web site to provide information about lead testing in schools, click here to go to PDE's web site.

    Funding
    WIIN 2107:  Voluntary School and Child Care Facility Lead Testing and Reduction Grant 

    The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) is offering grant funding to eligible schools and child care facilities located in Pennsylvania for drinking water lead reduction activities.  These activites may include purchasing and installing hydration stations to remove lead, point-of-use (POU) devices, or replacement faucets.  The primary goal of the Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing & Reduction Grant is to reduce children's exposure to lead in drinking water.  Eligible applicants must have appropriate drinking water sample results showing an exceedance of the remediation trigger level (5 parts per billion) within 36 months of the date of their application to quality.  Funding under this grant has been appropriated under 1464(d) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA),​​ amended by section 2107 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act.

    Lead reduction actions may include installation of the following: 

    • Hydration station certification to remove lead
    • Point-of-use (POU) devices certified to remove lead
    • Faucet replacement-lead-free-materials

    Certain limitations apply for reimvbursement funding. Review the grant guidelines below for more information.

    Who is eligible for the WIIN 2107 Program?

    Eligible project sites must be located in Pennsylvania and may include the following types of institutions: 

    • Child care facilities
      • Public or private
      • Licensed/certified to operate in Pennsylvania
    • Public schools
      • Elementary 
      • Middle 
      • High
      • Magnet schools that operate as a Local Education Agency (LEA) under state law
      • Charter schools that operate as LEAs under state law

    Schools and child care facilities located in Pennsylvania may apply for this funding if they have the following:

    • Sample results for lead in drinking water collected and analyzed by EPA-approved methods
    • Results indicate an exceedance of the remediation trigger level (5 parts per billion)
    • Sample result dates must be within 36 months of the date of your application

    Contact​

    For project and funding inquiries, please contact the WIIN 2107 resource account at RA-EPWIINLead@pa.gov​

    Resources:

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