The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $26 million in funding, including $210,000 for New Hampshire, to protect children from lead in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities. This initiative aims to reduce lead exposure where children learn and play, aligning with 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 New Hampshire can learn and grow in an environment free from the dangers of lead exposure."
"No parent should worry that the water their child might drink at school or daycare is contaminated, which is why investing in our water infrastructure is so important for Granite State families," said U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen. "As a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and a lead negotiator of the water provisions of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I'm pleased to see the funding I worked to secure be put to use in New Hampshire."
"It's great to see the bipartisan infrastructure law continuing to deliver for our state with this latest round of federal funding for clean water in our schools and childcare centers," said U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan. "Every child in New Hampshire deserves safe drinking water at home and at school."
"Whether at school, a childcare facility, or home, no one should have to worry about having access to safe and clean drinking water," said U.S. Representative Chris Pappas. "I fought to pass the bipartisan infrastructure law to deliver these federal resources to New Hampshire that help protect the health of Granite State families and children."
Lead exposure can severely harm children's mental and physical development, causing irreversible brain damage. In adults, it can result in increased blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function, and cancer.
The funding was authorized by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act and is provided as grants for lead testing and remediation in schools and childcare facilities across 55 states, including territories like the District of Columbia. Since 2019, over $150 million has been allocated through this grant program.
Recipients are required to use the 3Ts – Training, Testing, and Taking Action – to reduce lead in drinking water. The 3Ts Program offers resources for states, territories, and Tribes to act on lead issues.
The EPA's Get the Lead Out (GLO) initiative partners with underserved communities nationwide providing technical assistance needed for identifying and removing lead service lines.
The Biden-Harris Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law dedicated $15 billion towards removing lead from drinking water under its Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan.
