Lead Testing in Schools and Child Care Programs

children at school holding hands

Lead Testing in Schools and Child Care Programs Drinking Water Grant

Authorized and funded under the EPA’s Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, SC’s Lead Testing in School and Child Care Program Drinking Water Grant creates a voluntary program to assist with testing for lead in drinking water at schools and child care programs across the state. This will include the prioritization of facilities located in the state's opportunity zones serving younger children (Pre-K, K-5), underserved and low- income communities, and facilities that are older and more likely to contain lead plumbing. This EPA grant will allow DHEC to launch a statewide initiative to test schools and childcare facilities using EPA’s 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water.

WIIN Grant Fact Sheet

GIS Map of Facilities and Facility Survey

DHEC has developed an interactive tool that includes a map  Facility Survey to allow of schools and child care facilities that have volunteered to be tested. The tool also includes a survey that each facility can fill out to request to be part of the program, as well as the sampling results as they become available.

Online Facility Survey

Locate your facility on the map in one of the following ways:

  • Search by Name (recommended): Type the name of your facility in the search bar and click on the corresponding icon on the map
  • Use the map: Navigate to locate your facility and click on the icon 

Once you have located your facility and have clicked on the map, click on the "complete the survey" link located in the pop-up connected to your facility. (If you do not see a pop-up for your facility click on the icon that represents your facility.)

Fillable/Printable Facility Survey (PDF)

Questions about this document can be directed to: Debra Boston, WIIN Grant Project Manager, DHEC 803-898-4214 or bostond@dhec.sc.gov.

Sample Results

As sample results become available, the WIIN Grant Sample Results page will be updated. 

The EPA determined program lead remediation level in drinking water samples is 0.015 milligrams per liter (mg/L), or 15 parts per billion (ppb). When a lead sample is detected at or above this level, we encourage schools and facilities to take immediate steps to address the source of lead to protect children and staff.

EPA's 3Ts Guidance

EPA's 3Ts - Training, Testing, and Taking Action - provides tools for schools, child care facilities, states, and water systems to implement voluntary testing programs for lead in drinking water.

DHEC is using EPA’s 3Ts guidance as a model to: (1) Train on the risks of lead in drinking water and testing for lead, as well as developing key partnerships to support the program; (2) Test using appropriate testing protocols and a certified laboratory; and (3) Take Action, including the development of a plan for responding to results of testing conducted and addressing potential elevated lead where necessary. 

Additional Resources on EPA's 3Ts:

DHEC Resources

Other Resources