EPA Releases New Resources for Lead Testing in Schools and Child Care Facilities

This week, EPA released five new resources to assist schools, child care and early childhood facilities to test and take action to reduce lead in drinking water. These materials were completed in coordination with the federal and non-federal partners of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Reducing Lead levels in Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care facilities.

1. U.S. EPA 3Ts Lead Sample Collection Field Guide for Schools and Child Care Facilities:
   • Download at https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/3ts-reducing-lead-drinking-water#mod5
   • Provides recommended instructions to designated personnel on how to collect samples to test for lead in drinking water in schools and child care facilities [21 pages].
2. U.S. EPA 3Ts Lead Sample Collection Video for Schools and Child Care Facilities
   • Download at https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/3ts-reducing-lead-drinking-water#mod5
   • Provides and supports outreach information to test for lead in drinking water in schools and child care facilities. The video illustrates how lead contaminates drinking water, instructions to collect samples, and take actions to remediate.  [7 minutes]
3. U.S. EPA 3Ts Lead Sample Collection Poster Guide for Child Care Facilities
   • Download at https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/3ts-reducing-lead-drinking-water#mod5
   • Provides and supports outreach information to test for lead in drinking water in child care and early childhood facilities. Formatted as a poster to introduce staff, parents, and guardians to lead testing and remediation. [ 1 page]
4. U.S. EPA 3Ts Program Plan eBuilder – Interactive Tool to Build an Implementation Plan for Testing and Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools
   • Download at https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/3ts-reducing-lead-drinking-water#mod3  or,  https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/3ts-reducing-lead-drinking-water#school
   • Provides prompted questions for schools to electronically build an implementation plan to communicate, train, test and take action for reducing lead levels in drinking water. [49 pages]
5. U.S. EPA 3Ts Program Plan eBuilder Plan eBuilder – Interactive Tool to Build an Implementation Plan for Testing and Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Child Care Facilities
   • https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/3ts-reducing-lead-drinking-water#mod3  or, https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/3ts-reducing-lead-drinking-water#child
   • Provides prompted questions for child care and early childhood facilities to electronically build an implementation plan to communicate, train, test and take action for reducing lead levels in drinking water. [43 pages]

In addition, EPA conducted the following training webinars on funding, testing and taking action to reduce lead in drinking water in schools and child care facilities with U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture:

1. Joint EPA-U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Training Webinars (3-part series) on funding and program resources.
   • Download video and slides at  https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/technical-and-case-study-presentations-reducing-lead-drinking-water-schools-and-child  or, use direct links below:

• July 14, 2022 (Part 3 of 3) – TAKING ACTION – Implementing a 3Ts program for Reducing Lead Exposure in Drinking Water in Child Care and Early Childhood Facilities, includes a case study from the Vermont Lead Program.

1. • • • EPA – HHS child care webinar video part 3
       • EPA – HSS child care webinar part 3 slides (pdf)

• June 23, 2022 (Part 2 of 3) – TESTING – Implementing a 3Ts program for Collecting Lead Samples in Drinking Water in Child Care and Early Childhood Facilities, includes a case study from the Illinois Lead Program.

1. • • • EPA – HHS child care webinar video part 2
       • EPA – HHS child care webinar part 2 slides (pdf)

• June 14, 2022  (Part 1 of 3) – TRAINING – Implementing a 3Ts program for Lead Testing in Drinking Water in Child Care and Early Childhood Facilities, includes a case study from the North Carolina Lead Program.

1. • • • EPA – HHS child care webinar video part 1
       • EPA – HHS child care webinar part 1 slides (pdf)
2. Joint EPA- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Training Webinar
   • July 14, 2021 – Funding to Assist Schools and Child Care Facilities with Lead Testing and Remediation in Drinking Water. Download at:

• EPA-USDA Funding Webinar (video)
• EPA-USDA, Joint Funding Webinar includes case study from Pennsylvania-Pennvest (pdf slides)