EPA Announces Partnership to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposure at Schools and Childcare Facilities

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further support efforts that reduce lead in drinking water at schools and child care facilities. In recognition of Children’s Health Month, the commitments made in this MOU will provide safer and healthier environments for children across the country.“The Trump Administration is prioritizing efforts to identify and reduce lead contamination while ensuring children impacted by lead exposure are getting the support and care they need,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “This MOU supports our Lead Action Plan and shows our commitment to work with federal and non-federal partners to ‘get the lead out’ of drinking water to the greatest extent possible.”This new MOU provides a framework for a coordinated approach between critical partners across the federal government, tribes, water utilities and the public health community.

The commitments of this new MOU support the Lead Action Plan, which provides a blueprint for reducing lead exposure and associated harms by working with a range of stakeholders, including states, tribes and local communities, along with businesses, property owners and parents.“While America’s drinking water is very safe and the occurrence of lead in drinking water is rare, we want to stay vigilant in protecting the children in our schools and child care facilities from any potential occurrence of lead in drinking water,” stated NRWA Deputy CEO Matthew Holmes. “Rural and small communities are committed to collaborate with our federal partners, especially the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and USDA Rural Development, to implement the national 3Ts initiative to help empower the public on exactly how to protect schools and child care facilities from possible drinking water lead contamination.”

“My priority is for our BIE students to receive a quality education and study in safe facilities and environments, one critical environmental factor is safe drinking water. Indian Affairs is actively working to ensure that children in our schools are provided with safe drinking water,” said Tara Sweeney, Assistant Secretary- Indian Affairs.

“ASDWA’s members will be on the front lines in working with state public health and education agencies on lead testing in schools and child care centers, which is the first step to reducing lead exposure in these facilities. ASDWA, whose role it is to convene state drinking water agencies together to tackle common drinking water issues is well qualified and positioned to help, and we’re very eager to get started,” said Alan Roberson, Executive Director, Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA).