minnesota department of health

New map will share results of tests for lead in drinking water at schools and child care centers

A new, interactive map created by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will show families how much lead, if any, has been detected in the drinking water at all public and charter schools and at licensed child care centers. More information and a link to the map can be found on Results and Metrics for Early Care and Education Settings [ [link removed] ].

Since 2017, Minnesota law has required public and charter schools to test for lead in drinking water every five years and to make their test results available to the public. As of July 1, 2024, a new law required licensed child care centers to begin testing drinking water for lead as well, and for both schools and child care centers to report their test results to MDH. 

The map fulfills a reporting requirement of the new law. It is not yet fully populated with test data, because sites are at different points in their testing cycles. For example, a school that last tested in 2022 would not be due to test again until 2027 and would report at that time. If not yet uploaded to the map, the most recent test results from a specific school or child care center should be available from the site directly, upon request.

Of the first 190 schools and child care centers that have reported results to MDH, no lead was detected in 76% of the drinking water fixtures (sinks, fountains, etc.) tested. Less than 5% of fixtures had a lead level of 5 parts per billion (ppb) or more, the level at which the fixture must be shut off until corrective action is taken, and a follow-up test ensures that the water safe to drink.

Testing for lead in drinking water in schools and child care centers is especially important because water usage patterns that cause water to remain in pipes during long breaks and closures can cause elevated lead levels in water. Elevated blood lead levels in young children are linked with adverse health effects, including learning and behavior problems, but elevated blood lead levels are rarely caused by drinking water alone. In Minnesota, most elevated blood lead levels are caused by exposures to lead paint and dust.

“Information from testing can help facilities determine best practices to manage water usage within buildings to reduce lead exposure,” said Anna Schliep, MDH’s Lead in Drinking Water coordinator.

MDH reminds schools and child care centers to check their testing schedule and report results to MDH as required. MDH’s website provides more information on how MDH works to protect drinking water in schools, child cares and Head Start programs [ [link removed] ] as well as actions you can take to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water [ [link removed] ]. Additional information is provided on how to reduce childhood lead exposure [ [link removed] ] from all sources.

*-MDH-*

*Media inquiries:*
*Amy Barrett*
*MDH Communications *
*651-201-4993*
*[email protected]* <[email protected]>

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