The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $388,000 in funding for Oklahoma to protect children from lead in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities. This grant will be distributed among 55 states and territories, including the District of Columbia, aiming 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.
Lead exposure can severely impact children's mental and physical development, leading to learning delays and irreversible brain damage. In adults, it can result in increased blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function, and cancer.
Authorized by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, this funding is allocated as grants for lead testing and remediation in educational settings. Since 2019, the Voluntary School and Childcare Lead Testing and Reduction Grant has provided over $150 million to address lead sources in drinking water across U.S. schools and childcare facilities.
Recipients of these grants must follow the 3Ts – Training, Testing, and Taking Action – program to mitigate lead in drinking water. The 3Ts Program offers resources for states, territories, and Tribes to act on lead exposure issues in early care environments.
The EPA is also progressing with its Get the Lead Out (GLO) initiative. This program partners with underserved communities nationwide to provide technical assistance needed to identify and remove lead service lines. The GLO initiative aids communities in identifying lead services lines, developing replacement plans, and securing funding for these efforts.
The Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has dedicated an unprecedented $15 billion towards removing lead from drinking water. This funding supports initiatives like replacing lead pipes and remediating lead paint through federal, state, and local collaboration efforts.
