Get The Lead Out NM (GTLO) Program

There are no federal regulations that require testing of drinking water in schools and childcare facilities, except for those that are their own public water systems and are therefore subject to comply with the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR).

According to EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, community water systems are required to conduct public education and lead monitoring at schools and childcare facilities they serve. Those that are eligible to be sampled for lead according to these criteria can request assistance from their community water system.

All Public schools and licensed childcare facilities in New Mexico are eligible to participate in the New Mexico Environment Department’s free Get The Lead Out NM Program.

Generally, facilities should not flush lines before a sampling event; however, there are some circumstance when flushing may be appropriate such as after holidays, winter and summer vacation, or the weekend.

Flushing before a sampling event can be used to ensure that the most accurate representation of typical water use is recorded. Water that is sitting in plumbing for too long can give inaccurate results. Consult with your sampling representative to create a plan before a sampling event.

Further information is located under the “Enrolled Facility Resources” button on the GTLO main page.

Samples for 3Ts will be collected at locations used for drinking water or consumption. This includes drinking fountains, kitchen and classroom sinks, sinks used to fill coffee pots or for cooking and washing dishes, and ice machines.

Non-potable sites such as mop bucket sinks, utility sinks, outdoor hoses, or eye wash stations are not typically sampled. If there is potential that these sites may be used (e.g., the outdoor hoses are used to fill water jugs for sports activities), schools should use clear signage to notify people that the faucet should not be used for drinking or cooking. If they are known to be used for drinking water, they should be included in the site sampling plan.

An NMED contractor will sample appropriate sites at your location as determined during the initial inventory with your sampling representative.

An NMED contractor will handle your outlet inventory, all sample collections, and will report results to you once they are received, unless you opt to have staff trained to conduct these tasks.

Once you have been contacted by a representative, NMED’s contractor will schedule an appropriate time to complete the initial inventory and the subsequent sampling events (some facilities may require additional sampling based on initial test results).

Sampling events will be conducted early in the morning before staff and students arrive. Be sure to avoid using any plumbing in the building before a sampling event.

Typically sampling events will not be conducted after holidays, breaks, or weekends. However, if your sampling event does fall on a day after one of these occasions, you may be asked to conduct flushing before the event.

How frequently your facility can and should test for lead in drinking water depends on a variety of factors (e.g., plumbing, water quality, lead results, budget, and competing priorities).

3Ts does not recommend a set frequency for sampling schools and childcare facilities, but does note that annual monitoring provides information regarding changes in the lead levels and the effectiveness of remediation or treatment efforts, as well as timely notice of lead levels that need to be addressed.

Regardless of the frequency set by your facility, EPA recommends that the sampling frequency be documented, and that schools and childcare facilities make testing drinking water a part of their regular building operations.

Lead poisoning is when a person’s health or body functions are negatively affected by lead contamination in what they eat, drink, touch, or breathe.

There are many factors that affect how different people’s bodies handle exposure to lead. These factors include a person’s age, nutritional status, and genetic makeup, as well as the source of lead and length of their exposure.

No safe blood lead level has been identified. Children are especially at risk from lead because of their small size and developing brains.

Lead exposure can affect nearly every system in the body. Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to affect a child’s IQ, ability to pay attention, and academic achievement.

A blood lead test is the most common way to find out if your child has been exposed to lead and has a detectable blood lead level. Most children with detectable levels of lead in their blood have no obvious symptoms.

If you think your child may have been exposed to lead, talk to your child’s health care provider about getting a blood lead test. Your health care provider and most local health departments can test for lead in your child’s blood.

Many private insurance policies cover the cost of testing for blood lead. Children covered by Medicaid are eligible for free testing. Contact the New Mexico Department of Health for more details.

There is no cure for lead poisoning. That is why preventing exposure to lead, especially among children, is important. Finding and removing sources of lead from the child’s environment is needed to prevent further exposure.

While there is no cure, parents can help reduce the effects of lead by talking to their doctor and getting connected to learning, nutritional, and behavioral programs as soon as possible.

Contact your school’s administrator to learn more about their involvement in testing and reducing lead in drinking water.

If you child’s school is also a public water supply, it is required to follow the Safe Drinking Water Act and could be already required to sample for lead in drinking water under the federal Lead and Copper Rule. You may request the system’s test results by contacting the public water supply.

Schools and child care facilities do not have any federal regulations mandating testing of drinking water in schools with the exception of those serving as public water supplies. This is why NMED has developed their own monitoring assistance program.