EPA Announces $213K for Nebraska to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water at Schools and Child Care Facilities
LENEXA, KAN. (JUNE 26, 2025) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a total of $26 million in funding for states and territories — including $213,000 to Nebraska — 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,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “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.”
“Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of lead,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Macy. “We are proud to announce this resource to our partners in Nebraska, and we encourage local schools and child caregivers to join in the effort to reduce childhood lead exposure.”
EPA will allocate grant funding to states and territories through the Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction Grant Program. Tribal allotments for this program will be released separately.
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.
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.
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