EPA Announces $281,000 in Funding for Arkansas to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water at Schools and Child Care Facilities
DALLAS, TEXAS (June 13, 2025) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing $281,000 in funding for Arkansas to address lead in drinking water at schools and child care facilities. Since 2018, EPA has provided over $200 million to help reduce exposure to lead in drinking water where children learn and play.
“Lead is a neurotoxin that can negatively impact American children. With $26 million in funding this year, more schools will be able to identify sources of lead in their water and take action so that our nation’s children can focus on learning, playing, and developing skills that will maximize their potential and make our nation stronger,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.
“Reducing childhood exposure to lead is an investment in Arkansas’s future. The WIIN grants are an important part of EPA’s commitment to ensuring schools and childcare centers are safe, healthy locations for kids to grow and thrive,” said Regional Administrator Scott Mason.
EPA will allocate grant funding to states and territories through the Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction Grant Program. Total allotment amounts for each of the 50 states, DC, and four territories can be found on the grant website. Tribal allotments for this program will be released separately.
The EPA is committed to protecting children and communities across America from lead in drinking water. In addition to this grant program, EPA’s Training, Testing, and Taking Action program (3Ts) provides information and recommendations to help states and local authorities build voluntary programs to reduce lead in drinking water. Since 2019, this effort has helped over 20,000 child care facilities and nearly 13,000 schools have their water tested for lead with over 1,300 child care facilities and 2,500 schools completing remediation work.
Background
The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act established the Lead Testing in School and Child Care Program Drinking Water grant in 2016 to award funding to states, territories, and tribes to assist local and tribal educational agencies in voluntary testing for lead contamination in drinking water at schools and child care facilities.
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