MONTGOMERY-To better ensure the safety of drinking water in public schools, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management is collaborating with the Alabama State Department of Education
to resume sampling of drinking water in the public schools.
This partnership is supported by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and will be in addition to an ongoing sampling program for childcare centers. The project also marks a return to sampling drinking water at public schools, after a successful three-year effort from 2017-2019.
Childhood exposure to lead has long been a concern of researchers and medical professionals. While public water systems are required to conduct rigorous testing to ensure the water they produce meets all health-based standards, no state orfederal requirements exist for child care centers or schools to test
for lead in drinking water.
“This project’s continued goal of providing information to the parents and staff and protecting our children from dangerous exposure to lead will be served well by ADEM’s partnership with the State Department of Education,” said ADEM Director Lance LeFleur. “We look forward to working with schools again to further our mission to ensure clean drinking water for Alabama’s most vulnerable populations.”
The program is based on EPA’s “3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water” guidance used by schools and
childcare centers. It emphasizes training, testing, and taking action to reduce lead exposure in drinking water. Participating schools will be provided training and resources to self-evaluate and select fixtures for testing. The samples will be sent to the State Drinking Water Laboratory for analysis at no cost to the schools. The program calls for schools to share the results with students, parents, and staff, and periodic reports will also be posted on ADEM’s website.
Media Release/Alabama Department of Environmental Management
