The agreement provides assistance to nebraska department of environmental and energy (NDEE) to implement a program of voluntary testing for lead in drinking water at local schools and child care…

This federal Project Grant award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction Grant Program (CFDA 66.444) provides $772,000.00 to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) to implement a program of voluntary lead testing in drinking water at local schools and child care centers in Nebraska.

The key activities include: 1) Communication and outreach to schools and child care programs, 2) Training staff on proper sampling protocols, 3) Collecting and analyzing water samples at eligible facilities, 4) Providing education on potential corrective actions to reduce lead exposure, and 5) Offering reimbursement grants to eligible facilities for replacement of lead-containing plumbing components. The project will prioritize testing and remediation at facilities serving underserved and low-income communities, as well as older buildings more likely to contain lead infrastructure. The NDEE will collaborate with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and local health departments to facilitate participation and coordinate the implementation of this voluntary lead testing and reduction program across the state.

Description

The agreement provides assistance to nebraska department of environmental and energy (NDEE) to implement a program of voluntary testing for lead in drinking water at local schools and child care centers. Specifically, the recipient will be utilized by NDEE to expand on the prior water infrastructure improvements for the nation act (WIIN) grant awards. Those grants created a voluntary lead sampling and analysis protocol for testing lead in pre- and elementary private/parochial schools, public and private/parochial middle and high schools, and childcare programs. That work will be continued in collaboration with local health departments, and for developing educational material for communicating health risks of drinking water lead exposure to parents, school and childcare staff with the voluntary school and child care lead testing and reduction grant award. The project will focus on the prioritization of facilities serving underserved and low-income communities, and facilities older than 1988-as they are at highest risk for containing lead plumbing components. The NDEE/nebraska department of health and human services (NDHHS) will work with local health departments to facilitate local awareness and participation in the project, for coordination and/or sample collection, communication/interpretation of sample results with schools and child care programs, and to identify and implement potential corrective actions. Activities:the activities include . . Using the guidance from EPA's 3TS for reducing lead in drinking water, NDEE will implement this voluntary school and child care lead testing and reduction grant program within five focus areas. 1. Communication: all information associated with the voluntary lead testing project will be made available on the NDEE and NDHHS websites, and via email and media updates. 2. Training: local health department, child care program, and school staff interested in actively participating in this project will be trained on proper sample collection using usepa protocols and following a quality assurance plan. Training will include development of a sampling protocol video and power point. 3. Testing: using usepa protocols, samples will be collected from qualifying sites and then shipped for analysis to the state environmental health laboratory in lincoln, nebraska. Samples will consist of collecting one 250-liter first draw water sample (after a minimum of an 8-hour stagnation period and before the facility is open) from drinking water and food preparation faucets at the facility. If lead levels are greater than 10 micro; G/L a facility may collect a second confirmation sample. 4. Taking action: education on potential corrective actions to reduce lead exposure in drinking water will be implemented through work with community partners. 5. Remediation: those facilities that are under the jurisdiction of local education agency (LEAS) or early childhood education programs which are eligible for remediation funds (e.g., above the program remediation trigger (PRT), low-income, etc.) will be contacted for a reimbursement grant program for the removal and replacement of faucets, water fountains, and/or water filler stations. Once at a reimbursement location, any location with a lead detection will be offered funding for replacement, i.e., a single mobilization approach. Reimbursement grants for the installation of pous will be signed only if all other remediation activities are determined to not be feasible. Subrecipient:the nebraska department of health and human services environmental health laboratory will be responsible for sample analysis and reporting results to participating facilities and local health departments. Outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include. . .use the usepa's 3TS for reducing lead in drinking water guidance to develop a state project for testing lead in drinking water in nebraska schools. Create a system for the prioritization of the