Child Care & School Lead Testing Program
The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act or “WIIN Act” of 2016 authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to award grants to states and tribes to assist local and tribal educational agencies in voluntary testing for lead in drinking water at schools and child care programs. The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) is administering the WIIN Grant Project for Louisiana and will offer free lead testing in drinking water at eligible schools/child care programs. For details about the WIIN grant program, please visit https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/wiin-grant-lead-testing-school-and-child-care-program-drinking-water.
Testing Program Reports- Final Reports of Child Care & School Testing
Ensuring Drinking Water Quality in Child Care Facilities During and After Extended Closures - 3Ts
Ensuring Drinking Water Quality in School During and After Extended Closures - 3Ts
Remediation and Establishing Routine Practices
Public schools and child care (early childhood education program) facilities are eligible. Priority will be given to schools/programs in underserved and/or low-income communities, elementary/child care facilities for children 6 and under, and older facilities built before 1988. Private schools are not eligible to participate, however private child care facilities are eligible.
Lead testing must be conducted in accordance with the EPA’s 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water Toolkit available at the following web address: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/3ts-reducing-lead-drinking-water-toolkit. LDH has contracted with a third party to conduct the lead testing with the cooperation of the participating schools and child care facilities.
Schools/programs must make the testing results publicly available and notify parents, teachers, and employee organizations of the availability of the results. In addition, LDH will publish the results on this web page as results become available.
To volunteer for free lead testing in drinking water at your school or child care program, complete and submit the form located here. Please note that completion of items denoted by an asterisk on the form is required in order to submit the form. Testing will be performed at child care facilities first followed by schools.