RICHMOND, Va. -- The Environmental Protection Agency is awarding Virginia over $700,000 in grant funding to assist with identifying sources of lead in drinking water in schools and child care facilities.
The agency announced Thursday that the $737,000 will go to the Department of Health, which will use it to support voluntary testing programs.
Lead in drinking water has been linked to developmental delays in children and can damage the brain, red blood cells and kidneys.
It is most often caused by pipes connecting a home to a water main or lead fixtures in a home or school.