Connecticut: EPA announces $418,000 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 $418,000 allotted for Connecticut, 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 Connecticut 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."
"This $418,000 in federal funding will enhance school district and childcare facility safety by expanding access to testing of drinking water for treacherous, toxic lead. Lead poisoning can cause devastating and irreversible damage, especially to children, and too often, lead exposure goes unnoticed until it is too late. I am thrilled to see federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding being used to tackle this dangerous health hazard," said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal.
"Lead exposure isn't safe for anyone, but it's especially dangerous for kids," said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy. "By funding lead testing and removal initiatives in schools and childcare centers across Connecticut, this $418,000 investment from the Biden-Harris administration will go a long way to protect our children from the serious and often lifelong effects of lead poisoning."
"Under the Biden-Harris Administration, we have taken historic steps to remove lead pipes and ensure every American has access to clean, safe drinking water," said U.S. Representative John Larson. "Today's funding announcement builds on this progress and will allow us to test for and address lead in water at schools and childcare facilities across the state. We will continue to support efforts to remediate exposure to lead and dangerous toxins to ensure the health of communities across the nation!"
"Exposure to lead has devastating developmental and physical impacts on our children. This new investment, made possible by the federal infrastructure law I voted to pass in 2021 in a close vote, allows communities like New London in 2024 to see actual backhoes breaking ground to extract lead pipes in its neighborhoods," said U.S. Representative Joe Courtney. "To its credit, local officials in New London were the first in our state to seek and receive these funds. They set the pace for all of Connecticut."
"Lead poisoning is detrimental to child development, and can lead to negative health outcomes that can last a lifetime," said U.S. Representative Jahana Hayes. "In Congress, I supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which includes investment opportunities like removing lead pipes from homes and businesses, and I am delighted to see federal funding being used to help remove harmful lead materials from Connecticut schools and childcare facilities."
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 Granthas 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.