COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $519,000 in grant funding to test for lead in school drinking water.
The funding will assist the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) with identifying sources of lead in drinking water in schools or child care facilities.
“This funding is important to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s vision of healthy people living in healthy communities. The focus of our efforts funded by this grant is reducing the potential for lead exposure in children, our most vulnerable population,” said Myra Reece, DHEC Director of Environmental Affairs. “Education, testing and infrastructure can all be used to reduce lead exposure.”
Under EPA’s new Voluntary Lead Testing in Schools and Child Care grant program, EPA has awarded $43.7 million in grants nationwide to help fund the implementation of testing for lead in drinking water.
