Lead in Drinking Water in Schools & Child Care Facilities

Abstract

Lead in drinking water remains a preventable risk to children’s health, with no safe level of exposure and impacts even at low concentrations on learning, behavior, and development. This presentation highlights recent progress in identifying and reducing lead exposure in schools and child care facilities across Georgia through the Clean Water for Georgia Kids program.

To date, the program has supported testing in over 600 facilities, collecting more than 29,000 samples statewide. Findings show that lead detection is common and can vary significantly from tap to tap, reinforcing the importance of comprehensive sampling at all drinking and cooking outlets.

We will share key public health insights from implementation, including frequency of lead detection, practical mitigation approaches used by facilities, and strategies to support transparent communication with parents and staff. The session will also highlight how testing data can support compliance with Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) requirements while advancing primary prevention of lead exposure in child-serving settings.