ADHS offering free drinking water lead screening for schools, child care facilities

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Health Services is offering free drinking water lead screening opportunities for schools and child care facilities as part of a nationwide program.

Public schools and state-regulated child care facilities can enroll in the program online by filling out a survey.

If lead is found in the drinking water, ADHS will work to lower levels and fix potential plumbing problems.

ADHS said the program is a continuation of testing done in facilities and schools, although there’s been no evidence drinking water has led to an increase in blood lead levels in the state’s children.

The department started offering testing services to charter schools in 2021.

ADHS has collected more than 2,000 samples from 221 charter schools in 12 counties.

Nine schools have reduced their lead content in drinking water as a result.

Arizona’s funding for the program — about $1.4 million — comes from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act of 2016.

More information is available online.

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