The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded nearly $5 million to the District to support our efforts to provide equitable, abundant access to chilled, filtered drinking water by installing more hydration stations in our schools and buildings.

The $4,999,658 grant announced Oct. 11 will cover the purchase and installation of 755 new filtered hydration stations. The funding also covers kitchen sink filters, water sampling, as well as training and education related to drinking water safety.

This grant will help accelerate the District toward its goal of having one filtered hydration station per every 100 students, and at least one on each floor of every school building. More than 1,500 hydration stations have been installed throughout the District since 2017.

The District will work with its existing partner, Terraphase Engineering on a four-year plan funded by the grant. Terraphase’s work will include testing of all drinking water outlets, remediation as needed, and installation of hydration stations.

The successful grant application was made through a joint effort of Megan Garner, the District’s Sustainability Manager who also oversees the Lead in Water Program, Joe D’Allesandro, Deputy Chief of Grant Compliance and Fiscal Services, and Erin Longbottom and Victoria Flemming from DeLuca.