
In 2016, a program was created to help fund the process of reducing lead from the drinking water at schools.
The program reimburses schools up to $950 per school building. The money can be used for lead water testing, drinking water fixture replacement, plumbing assessments, or filter purchases. The program is only available to cover purchases made between July 1, 2016, and September 30, 2017. If your school is on well water (a noncommunity water supply), the money cannot be used to cover water samples collected for compliance purposes.
Requests for reimbursement can only be made by school administrators through an application with the Michigan Department of Education, Michigan Electronic Grant System (MEGS+). To receive the money, the school must conduct one or more of the four approved activities and provide public notification regarding the number of drinking water fixtures, any test results, and what is being done to mitigate lead from drinking water.
If a school replaces old drinking water fixtures with newer, lead-free, fixtures without initial testing, water from the new fixture should still be tested for lead.
For qualified school administrators wanting to apply for reimbursement in MEGS+, look for the application/task called “School Drinking Water Quality Program”, Fiscal Year 2017. The school must also provide proof that work has been completed, along with proof of payment, with the application.
Further information about sampling for lead and copper at schools and daycares can be found on the drinking water webpage (http://www.michigan.gov/drinkingwater).
For more information on the School Drinking Water Quality reimbursement program, school lead sampling protocol, interpretation of test results, or other lead and copper issues at a school, contact Ms. Holly Gohlke, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, at 989-705-3422 or gohlkeh@michigan.gov. The contact for MEGS+ is Mr. Kevin Walters, Supervisor, Office of School Support Services, at 517-373-1806 or waltersk5@michigan.gov.
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