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Georgia will receive $1.15 million in federal money to help schools and child care centers reduce lead in drinking water.
The funding for Georgia is part of a $26 million nationwide allocation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which will be used by 55 states, territories and the District of Columbia.
“The science is clear: There is no safe level of lead exposure,” said Bruno Pigott, EPA’s acting assistant administrator for water. “This $26 million will help protect our children from the harmful effects of lead.”
The EPA is also investing $15 billion to eliminate lead pipes and is helping communities develop and implement lead pipe replacement projects.
While children are particularly vulnerable to harm from lead, most states have not done enough to protect their school water, according to an analysis by the Georgia Environmental Research and Policy Center.
“For too long, testing has been the primary approach to detecting lead in water,” said Ginette Guyer, director of the center. “However, lead concentrations in water are so variable that even taps that are not lead-detected can be extremely dangerous.”
“It is critical that Georgia officials use EPA funding for actions that will actually eliminate lead — like installing filters and replacing old fountains with new water stations in schools.”
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