Finding lead, taking action

Abstract

What can we learn from voluntary efforts to test water for lead in schools and child care programs? Clean Water for Georgia Kids launched in 2021 with the mission to identify and get the lead out of drinking and cooking water where children learn and play across Georgia. This program of the Georgia Department of Education provides free testing of water for lead from all drinking and cooking taps at eligible facilities, funded through a grant under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. Testing results are accompanied by tailored mitigation recommendations based on results from each tap. Despite the offer of free testing, and the widely known dangers of lead exposure, fewer than 100 facilities participated during the first year of the program. How did the program team increase participation? What misconceptions did they encounter? Where was lead in water found and what are facilities doing about it?