Minnesota families can now access a new interactive map showing lead test results for drinking water in public and charter schools, as well as licensed child care centers. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) developed the tool to increase transparency and help parents understand potential lead exposure risks.

The map is part of a new law that took effect on July 1, 2024, requiring both schools and licensed child care centers to test for lead in drinking water and report their results to MDH. While the map is not yet fully populated due to different testing cycles, facilities that have completed recent tests are already included. “The new map lets you search by the name of the facility, the school, or the licensed child care center, and you can see if that facility has reported results to the Department of Health,” said Anna Schliep, MDH’s Lead in Drinking Water Coordinator.

According to Schliep, lead is rarely found in Minnesota’s source water or the fresh water from public utilities. Instead, contamination typically comes from plumbing materials containing lead, particularly in older buildings. “Lead can impact all age groups. Infants and children are most primarily at risk, but it can cause difficulties with damage to the brain, kidneys, and nervous system or cause slowing of development in learning, behavior, or even hearing problems,” Schliep explained.

Although lead exposure is cumulative, drinking water is only one of several potential sources. “In Minnesota, the most common source of an elevated blood lead level in children is from exposure to lead paint, dust, and soil,” Schliep said. However, since schools and child care centers serve large populations of children, testing their drinking water remains a key strategy for reducing overall lead exposure.

There is no completely risk-free level of lead in drinking water, but MDH uses five parts per billion (ppb) as the threshold for requiring action. “If the fixture is at or above that level, then they take that fixture out of service until they’re able to remediate and retest and show that they’ve taken steps to reduce lead to below 5 parts per billion,” Schliep said.

Early results show that of the first 190 schools and child care centers reporting test results, 76% of drinking water fixtures had no detectable lead. Less than 5% had lead levels at or above 5 ppb, requiring corrective measures before being used again.

One emerging trend in lead detection is the impact of long breaks when buildings sit unused. “We see that facilities have a need for having a water management strategy whenever their buildings are closed for extended breaks, like weekends or holidays,” Schliep noted. “That can cause lead to get from the plumbing into the water.” She added that in most cases, only one or two fixtures in a building test high for lead, often due to infrequent use. Regular flushing or removing unused fixtures can help mitigate the issue.

To assist with compliance, MDH offers multiple resources, including grants to help schools and child care centers remediate lead issues. “Public schools have some options through the Long Term Facilities Maintenance Plan to plan for testing and remediating,” Schliep said. “We currently have a grant program that’s open for schools and child cares to remediate when they find lead in drinking water.” The state also receives federal funding to support testing for facilities in need of extra assistance.

For families concerned about lead exposure at home, Schliep recommends simple precautions. “Anytime that water has been sitting unused for more than six hours, you want to let it run typically for at least a minute,” she advised. She also suggested using only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making formula, as well as checking homes for lead service lines through MDH’s Lead Service Line Tracking Tool.

More information, including the interactive map, can be found on MDH’s Results and Metrics for Early Care and Education Settings website.