Technical Assistance for Lead in School and Child Care Center Drinking Water

Free technical assistance for public schools and public and private day care facilities that did not previously participate in the Assistance Program.

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MassDEP Free Technical Assistance for Eligible Public Schools and Public and Private Day Care Facilities

MassDEP will be providing free comprehensive technical assistance to assess lead in drinking water at public schools and public and private group and family day care facilities that did not previously participate in the Program. Priorities for participation include facilities

• in underserved and/or low-income communities
• primarily serving children 6 years old and younger
• constructed before 1988 with a likelihood of sustained building-use as a child care facility
• in communities with elevated childhood blood lead levels.

This assistance may include the following activities:

• Reviewing educational outreach material about preventing lead in drinking water to students, families, and staff;
• Designing and implementing a sampling program for each facility (e.g., developing a facility map and sampling plan);
• Analyzing drinking water samples for lead; and
• Assisting with the identification of remediation actions to address elevated lead levels in drinking water.

To apply for assistance, please complete the Program Application.

Additional Resources

Water-Smart

Clean Water Trust: School Water Improvement Grants

Letter: Important Notice About New Resources for Addressing Lead in Drinking Water

Assistance Program Questions & Answers for Schools and Childcares

Resources for Schools and Child Care Facilities Ineligible for the MassDEP Program

For schools and child care facilities that do not qualify to participate in the program, or wish to conduct or continue voluntary programs on their own, the technical assistance documents found on the Assistance Program section of our website will be helpful.  Additional helpful information can be found at Lead in Drinking Water under the "Information for Schools and Childcares" heading. Schools and child care facilities with technical questions after reviewing the information can submit their questions to [e-mail].

School Water Improvement Grants

The School Water Improvement Grant (SWIG) program provides grants for schools to replace water fountains that tested positive for lead with filtered water-bottle filling stations. See School Water Improvement Grants for more information.

MWRA Testing Assistance

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) offers free testing for public and private schools and early education and care facilities within their service area. Information on the MWRA service area is available at www.mwra.com/. For more information about testing contact Beverly Anderson at 617-242-5323 or [e-mail].