The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today unveiled a plan to channel $26 million in grants to states and territories aimed at reducing lead contamination in drinking water at K–12 schools and child-care facilities. The funding, part of the Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction Grant Program, brings the total since 2018 to over $200 million.

“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…”.

The grants flow through the EPA’s “3Ts” framework—Training, Testing, and Taking Action—and complement a broader federal push under the WIIN Act (2016) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bolster testing and remediation efforts. EPA highlights successful efforts in several states: Texas has sampled 97% of its targeted facilities, Colorado’s “Test and Fix Water for Kids” program is estimated to protect 600,000 children, and New Hampshire replaced water systems in 360 schools.

What Supporters Say...

Advocates describe the initiative as a "critical next step," ensuring underserved school districts receive funding to proactively reduce children's exposure to lead before it becomes a larger health crisis. The EPA emphasizes there's no safe level of lead in drinking water, a principle underpinning tougher regulations—including mandates to replace all lead service lines within ten years.

What Critics Say...

Despite these strides, critics contend the funding is insufficient. Environmental groups and policy experts emphasize that voluntary testing leaves too many children unprotected, particularly in underfunded or rural school districts.

Mary Grant of Food & Water Watch warns that regulatory gaps may emerge:

“We are very worried that that could be interpreted that the EPA could never mandate all lead service line replacement again.”

Even as cities like Albany, New York push to meet federal deadlines, many school districts face significant financial and logistical challenges. The EPA estimates infrastructure upgrades—including lead service line replacements—will cost $1.5 to $2 billion annually, placing pressure on municipal and local budgets.

Budget cuts at the federal level complicate matters further: the CDC recently eliminated its Lead Poisoning Prevention branch, and some states report delays in receiving allocated federal funds.

What’s Next

States will distribute grants through the existing voluntary program; Tribal funding is expected later in the year. Meanwhile, EPA continues developing timelines under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, which mandate complete removal of lead service lines by 2034—a goal EPA deems critical to safeguarding long-term public health.

With $26 million in new funding, the EPA takes another step toward addressing lead contamination in schools and child-care facilities—a move praised by many as essential, but also criticized for not going far enough. Critics stress the need for mandatory testing, stronger enforcement, and additional resources to ensure all children benefit, especially those in high-risk communities.