EPA grant will aid North Carolina lead testing efforts
In this July 20, 2018 file photo, a lead pipe is shown after being replaced by a copper water supply line to a home in Flint, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
North Carolina will receive a federal grant totaling over $1 million to further lead testing initiatives in schools and daycare centers.
The grant announced earlier this month by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will allow for the continuation of statewide testing for lead contamination in schools and licensed childcare facilities statewide. The testing includes Head Start and pre-kindergarten programs in elementary schools.
According to an EPA news release, the money will be channeled through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
NDCHHS officials say they aim to reduce lead exposure by following what the EPA calls the “3 Ts: Training, Testing, and Taking Action.” The funding will help facilitate lead pipe identification and replacement, and mitigation recommendations.
Last year, Durham was given a $1 million EPA grant to identify lead service lines in disadvantaged communities.
NCDHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley released a statement praising the initiative, calling the effort “public health in action.”
Lead is known to cause a range of serious health issues, including irreversible harm to brain development in children.
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