3Ts-
Training, Testing,
and Telling:
effort to
eip minimize
lead levels
in school
and
child care facility
drinking water
A Guide for
Community Partners
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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Publication Date: August 2006
Document Number:816-K-06-006
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3Ts-
Training, Testing,
and Telling:
Table of Contents
A Guide for
Community Partners
&EPA
United States
Environmental Pr
Agency
SECTION 1. Campaign Background
SECTION 2. Overview of the State of
Water in the United States
SECTION 3. Collaboration Opportunities
Available to Your Organization 5
SECTION 4. How to Promote "3Ts- 7
Training, Testing, and Telling"
in Your Community
SECTION 5. Incorporating "3Ts—
Training, Testing, and Telling"
into Local Events and
Health Observances 9
SECTIONS. Community Partnership Proposal 13
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CAMPAIGN BACKGROUND
Help EPA bring this health issue
to the forefront
The United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) wants to ensure schools and
child care facilities are safe environments for
our nation's children. In response to rising
public concern over the health risks posed to
young children by lead in the drinking water,
EPA is launching a "3Ts—Training, Testing,
and Telling" program. This initiative is
designed to encourage school officials and
child care facility operators to implement a
voluntary program that incorporates the
following:
Training - focuses on alerting school
administrators, custodians, utilities and water
officials to the risks of lead poisoning and the
means of mitigating those risks.
Testing - underscores the importance of
monitoring lead levels in school and child care
facility drinking water to identify and respond
to any existing problems.
Telling - emphasizes the need to
communicate with the public regarding all
facets of the issue, from funding and initiating
a testing protocol, to reporting results, if
needed, and proposing a remediation strategy.
Join EPA's community call to action. Today,
schools, child care facilities, and local
government officials have limited budgets with
which to address health and safety issues.
Recognizing this, EPA's "3Ts - Training,
Testing, and Telling" program is a call for
education, collaboration, and partnership-
building to find necessary funding and
encourage utilities to be more sensitive to
public concern about water quality.
Lend your group's voice, resources and local
influence. By lending your organization's
support on a grassroots level, you can help us
raise your community's awareness of the
health effects associated with lead exposure,
the heightened vulnerability of young children,
and the importance of reducing potential
sources of contamination from school and
child care facilities. By bringing this issue to
the forefront, your organization can play a vital
role in the promotion of voluntary
"3Ts— Training, Testing, and Telling" in your
community.
To implement a local program of education
and advocacy, this booklet includes the
following materials and templates. It is
designed for easy adaptation to your
organization's size, resources, and local
outreach opportunities.
Overview of the State of Water in the
United States
Collaboration Opportunities Available to
Your Organization
How to Promote "3Ts— Training, Testing,
and Telling" in Your Community
Incorporating "3Ts— Training, Testing, and
Telling" into Local Events and Health
Observances
Community Partnership Proposal
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OVERVIEW OF THE STATE OF THE WATER IN THE UNITED STATES
The Drinking Water
in the United States
Drinking Water Quick Facts: Timeline -
Water is the only substance found on earth in
three forms, solid, liquid, and gas.
Water covers two-thirds of earth's surface, but
only about 1% of that water is
available for drinking water.
A person can live for more than a month without
food, but only about a week, depending
on conditions, without water.
Americans drink more than 1 billion glasses of
tap water a day.
The average cost for water supplied
to a home in the US is about $2.00
for 1000 gallons, which equals
about 5 gallons for a penny.
4
Notable dates in the
Progress of Providing Safe Drinking Water
1800s - Scientists begin to gain an
understanding of the sources and effects of
drinking water contaminants, especially those
not visible to the naked eye.
1900s - Engineers develop techniques such
as filtration and chlorination to prevent
waterborne microbes from causing disease.
1914 - Federal Regulation of Drinking Water
begins. The U.S. Public Health Service sets
standards for some disease causing microbes.
1962 - All 50 states adopt the final U.S Public
Health Service standards that began in 1914.
1970 - Founding of the Environmental
Protection Agency.
Ł 1974 - The Safe Drinking Water Act
becomes a federal law.
1986 - First Amendment to the Safe
Drinking Water Act - These
Amendments required 83
new primary drinking water standards
within three years.
1996 - Second Amendment to the Safe
Drinking Water Act - These Amendments
provided for a balanced, integrated framework
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of reform, and represent a major national
commitment to:
1. New and stronger approaches to prevent
contamination of drinking water;
2. Better information for consumers,
(including "right to know");
3. Regulatory improvements, (including better
science, prioritization of effort, and risk
assessment), and
4. New funding for states and communities
through the Drinking Water State Revolving
Fund.
Role of the United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) is responsible for ensuring the safety
of our nation's drinking water. EPA enforces
federal clean water and safe drinking water
laws, provides support for public water
systems and municipal waste water treatment
plants, and takes part in pollution prevention
efforts aimed at protecting watersheds and
sources of drinking water.
EPA oversees both regulatory and voluntary
programs to fulfill its mission to protect our
nation's waters. As a result of this "multi-
barrier" approach to ensuring water quality, in
the United States, we enjoy one of the safest
water supplies in the world.
National Drinking Water
Standards
The Safe Drinking Water Act gives the
Environmental Protection Agency responsibility
for setting national drinking water standards
that protect the health of the 297 million
Americans who get their water from public
water systems. Since 1974, EPA has been
safeguarding our nation's drinking water by
setting national standards for more than 80
possible contaminants, including lead.
While EPA and state governments set and
enforce standards, local governments and
private water suppliers have direct
responsibility for the quality of the water that
ultimately flows through the tap into homes,
businesses, schools and child care centers.
Water systems test and treat their water,
maintain the distribution systems that deliver
water to consumers, and report on their water
quality to the state and customers. States and
EPA provide technical assistance to water
suppliers and can take legal action against
systems that fail to provide water that meets
state and EPA standards.
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COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITIES
AVAILABLE TO YOUR ORGANIZATION
Collaboration Opportunities
Objective: To underwrite costs, increase
volunteer base, add volume to your
organization's collective voice, and strive to
forge community partnerships across both
private- and public-sector lines. This will
heighten both public and media interest in your
activities, events and advocacy initiatives.
Pursue partnerships and co-sponsorships
with local or national companies that have a
stake in and/or wish to give back to the
community on issues relating to child
welfare, education and learning disabilities,
public health and safety, environmentalism,
and family values.
Successful collaborations will help
underwrite the costs of staging and
publicizing your activities. These
partnerships will also give your group
access to added resources as well as high-
traffic venues for displays, signage,
information dissemination, news
conferences and public gatherings.
Equally important, the name recognition of a
local or national co-sponsor will enhance the
credibility of your efforts and elevate the
news value for local press.
Collaborations give your group and its
awareness campaign access to a full range
of partner communications, including: print
and electronic newsletters, statement
stuffers, paycheck stuffers, advertising
supplements, customer bags, entrance or
check-out areas, parking lots, park areas,
public and fleet vehicles, office lobbies,
employee cafeterias, training auditoriums,
etc.
How to approach prospective
collaborators:
Identify appropriate contact, i.e. public
information officer, community relations
officer, marketing director, or public relations
director.
Send partnership proposal by mail.
\ Follow-up by phone to secure appointment.
Meet to discuss mutual objectives,
underscoring the potential for positive word-
of-mouth and media exposure that will:
Reinforce name and/or brand awareness
Build public trust
Enhance community/family-values public
image
Map out a collaborative publicity campaign
that capitalizes on the media contacts,
expertise, resources and distribution outlets
of your partner(s).
Corporate Collaborations:
Your organization can approach companies
that cater to child, health, safety, community
and family needs to help raise awareness to
this issue.
These companies may be able to serve as a
funding source for activities, provide a vehicle
of disseminating information to the masses,
(including their own employees), as well as
provide volunteers that can help with this
initiative.
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Local or National Retailers (children's
apparel, toys, games, electronics, books,
learning aids, videos, etc.)
Insurance Companies
Healthcare Providers/Medical Centers
Pediatric Physician Groups
Pediatric Medical Associations
4 Banks and Financial Institutions
Supermarket Chains
Security Firms
Drug Store Chains
Airlines
Shopping Mall Owners/Managers
Multiplex Owners/Managers
Family Restaurant Chains
Fast Food Chains
Automobile Dealerships
Arena/Stadium Owners/Managers
Phone Companies (local, long-distance,
wireless)
Internet Companies
6 Water Testing Laboratories
Plumbing Contractors
Engineering Firms
Architectural Firms
t Plumbing Materials Suppliers (lead-free
vendors)
Water Cooler Manufacturers/Distributors
(EPA-approved)
Public Collaborations:
These partnerships will garner a level of public
attention that maximizes media coverage as
well as garner support at the local and state
level. Many local governments have
established programs that are responsible for a
wide variety of public health protection
activities. These programs are often the first
line of defense when public health risks arise.
Lead programs for children are often a high
priority for local health offices. Although
resources may be limited, the office may be
willing to provide assistance in a variety of
ways. For example, a representative may be
able to attend meetings to discuss potential
health effects, as well as to act as a contact with
State programs to obtain information and
assistance. A representative may even be able
to assist in developing the plumbing profile,
conducting sampling, or in taking follow-up
action.
• Public Library System
Parks and Recreation Department
6 EPA Regional Offices
t Local Utility/Water Supplier
6 Local Office of State Department of Health
• Local Office of State Department of Education
t Local Housing and Urban Development Office
Local Office of State Department of
Environmental Protection
t Local County/Municipal Department of
Environmental Resource Management
Civic/Community Collaborations:
Your organization may want to partner with
your numbers, presence, resources and impact.
Chambers of Commerce
Service Groups
(Lions Club, Rotary, Kiwanis, JCCs)
Youth Groups (Boys and Girls Club,
Big Brothers/Big Sisters,
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Little League, etc.)
Board of Realtors
Downtown Merchant Associations
Homeowners Associations
Community Centers
Faith-based Groups
Local Environmental/Conservation Advocacy Groups
Local Child Welfare and Safety Advocacy Groups
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HOW TO PROMOTE 3Ts-
"TRAINING, TESTING, AND TELLING" IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Tie-in with National Environmental Events
and Health Observances
Objective: As public-interest advocates, your goal is to educate your community regarding:
4 The health risks posed to young children by lead in drinking water
4 The potential for elevated levels of lead in school and child care drinking water
The means to minimize this risk and safeguard the health of your community's children
The most effective way to lend significance and credibility to your awareness event or campaign is
by tying it to a national observance. Doing so positions your activities within a national framework
while allowing you to localize the issues.
Calendar of Events
Based on your group's resources, the following is a list of nationally recognized health and
environmental observances around which to base your awareness initiative. Localizing a national
observance is an effective way to heighten both public and media interest
JANUARY
National Birth Defects
Prevention Month
(www.cdc.gov/ncbddd)
March of Dimes Birth Defects
Foundation
1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605
(888) MODIMES (663-4637)
www.marchofdimes.com
Contact:
Pregnancy and Newborn Health
Education Center
APRIL
National Public Health Week-
American Public Health Association
800 I Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-3710
(202) 777-APHA (2742)
www.apha.org
f** t** t**
Earth Day
(www.earthday.gov)
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MAY
SEPTEMBER
National Food Safety
Education Month
(www.foodsafety.gov)
International Food Safety Council
National Restaurant Association
Educational Foundation
175 West Jackson Blvd, Suite 1500
Chicago, IL 60604
(800)765-2122
www.nraef.org/index.asp
OCTOBER
Children's Health Month
National Drinking Water Week
American Water Works Association
6666 W. Quincy Avenue
Denver, CO 80235
(303) 794-7711 or
800-926-7337
www.awwa.org/Advocacy/dww
National SAFE KIDS Week
Safe Kids Worldwide
1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20004-1707
(202) 662-0600
www.safekids.org
Lead Poison Prevention Week
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Children's Health Protection
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Mail Code 1107A
Room 2512 Ariel Rios North
Washington, DC 20004
(202)564-2188
www.childrenshealth.gov
Source: 2005 National Health Observances, National Health Information Center, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.
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Incorporating "3Ts—Training, Testing, and Telling"
into Local Events and Health Observances
Local Events and Health Observances
Objective: To create youth fairs, state fairs, local festivals, commemorations and other annual
community events. These events have an established local following that provides an ideal
opportunity to put your "3Ts—Training, Testing, and Telling" initiative before the public eye.
To further heighten public and media interest, tie in with a national event or health observance.
Designed to generate grassroots support, your initiative can be a single event or series of events
as time, personnel and resources allow. The key is to get your organization involved for the sake
of a healthier, safer community.
Here are some options. Select what works best for your organization and feel free to pick and
choose to create your own observance.
Option #1: Earth Day (April 22)
11 Earth Day: Nothing's More Natural than Water"
Find out what celebrations are already
scheduled in your community. Offer your
organization's support in exchange for
the opportunity to tie in your
"3Ts—Training, Testing, and Telling"
campaign with a staffed information
display.
Create an " Earth Day: Nothing's More
Natural than Water" information center
to staff at one or more established
community Earth Day events.
Create " Earth Day: Nothing's More
Natural than Water" flyers with your
"3Ts—Training, Testing, and Telling"
message. Distribute leading up to Earth
Day ceremonies throughout your
community, including malls, public libraries,
downtown commercial districts and
transportation hubs.
Announce that your organization will be
presenting its Earth Day Drinking Water
Awards to those five individuals whose
efforts, in the past year, have had the
greatest positive impact on the quality of
drinking water in local schools and child
care facilities.
When presenting your Earth Day Drinking
Water Awards, take photographs of the
presentation to distribute with a press
release to local papers as well as each
honoree's employee newsletter.
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Option #2: National Drinking Water Week (May)
" Drinking Water: The Best Way to Wet Your Whistle"
In conjunction with National Drinking
Water Week, create a week-long local
celebration of clean drinking water.
Secure retail co-sponsorship to underwrite
and hand out" Wet Your Whistle:
3Ts—Training, Testing, and Telling"
water bottles at staffed checkout displays,
with other EPA information and pamphlets
available.
Collaborate with local water utility/supplier
to promote free family and school tours of
the water treatment facility throughout the
week. Secure a free tour listing in local
newspaper and TV calendars of events.
Collaborate with other school districts and
child care facilities to conduct a student
art, photography or essay contest
(depending on age group) revolving
around the theme: "Drinking Water: Why
it's the Best Way to Wet Your Whistle."
Declare a "Wet Your Whistle Day in
your community in conjunction with
National Drinking Water Week and have
the mayor issue a proclamation making it
official.
Create a photo opportunity with the mayor
flanked by your representatives and those
of your campaign's community and
corporate co-sponsors.
Send an advisory of the proclamation
presentation and follow-up by releasing the
story with photo to your local papers as well
as the employee and community
newsletters of all interested groups.
Honor a " Drinking Water Week Worker of
the Year" by identifying that individual who
has done the most over the past year to
promote the health and safety of drinking
water in your community's schools and
child care facilities.
Announce the finalists and judging of
student art/photography/essay contest to
create additional publicity.
Hold a judging and awards event. Send an
announcement and group photo of the
winners to your local community papers
and schools for inclusion in their school
papers and parent-teacher newsletters.
Take advantage of all events throughout
the week to create photo opportunities,
invite the press, and send out follow-up
photos and releases to community
newspapers.
Distribute educational pamphlets and
literature at all venues throughout your
National Drinking Water Week celebration.
Invite a water utility public information
officer to speak to your students or client
base about water quality in your
community.
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Option #3: Children's Health Month (October)
11 Healthy Children Need Healthy Drinking Water"
Secure newspaper, TV and radio co- f Hold a series of readings/book-signings in
sponsorships, working with each outlet's conjunction with a bookstore chain, featuring
community relations director. family/children's health authors.
Seek out co-sponsorships and collaborations
with your local healthcare community (public
health department, healthcare providers,
healthcare insurers, medical centers,
pediatrician groups, etc.) offering promotional
consideration in exchange for sponsorship
dollars.
Release to the media a month-long schedule
of events with interview and photo
opportunities.
Set up downtown, regional mall and library
information displays to disseminate information
on child and family health, the issue of lead in
drinking water, the importance of school and
child care facility testing, and a schedule of
local Children's Health Month events.
Organize a public " Healthy Children Need
Healthy Drinking Water" roundtable
discussion moderated by your media
sponsor's health reporter. Roundtable
participants can include community leaders
from a full range of relevant areas of expertise
(healthcare, education, childhood mental
health and learning disabilities, special
education, pre-natal care,
construction/engineering, water treatment and
delivery, water testing, etc.)
As a follow-up to your roundtable, arrange for
TV and radio interviews of your roundtable
experts on local news/talk and public service
programming.
Announce and create an annual awards
luncheon honoring 5-10 local members of
the community who have made the greatest
contribution to child health through their
professional and/or volunteer efforts.
Set up and promote through local calendars a
workshop on lead in drinking water.
Create and distribute bumper stickers and
merchant decals:
"3Ts—Training, Testing, and Telling11
Healthy Children Need Healthy Drinking Water
Create a " Kids Get Out and Play Day in
collaboration with the local parks and
recreation department. Arrange for an onsite
live weather broadcast in front of your
information display, reinforcing the message:
"3Ts-Training, Testing, and Telling11
Healthy Children Need Healthy Drinking
Water
Initiate a letter-writing campaign to editors and
reporters urging them to focus on the issue of
lead in drinking water and the special risks it
poses to fetuses, infants and young children.
Create media advisories to alert the press of
all events.
Release photos of all events with press
releases for follow-up coverage and newsletter
placement.
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Pamphlets and Information for Distribution
Order these publications from the EPA National
Safe Drinking Water Hotline, (800) 42&4791:
Is There Lead in My Drinking Water? US EPA 816-F-05-
001. Feb 2005.
3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools:
Introduction (178 K PDF File, 2 pgs) US EPA 816-B-05-009.
December 2005.
Visit this one-stop EPA site that provides information
about drinking water quality in schools and child care
facilities, as well as relevant articles and publications,
including the following:
Consumer Fact Sheet on Lead. Web site article. US EPA.
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwh/c-ioc/lead.html
Decision Tree for Pre-Sampling. Web site article. US EPA.
httpyywww.epa.gov/safewater/lead/safedecisiontree.htm
3Ts Guidance and Toolkit. US EPA.
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/schools/guidance.htm l#3ts
Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Facilities.
Web site article. US EPA.
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/schools
Post-Remediation Sampling. US EPA.
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead/passivation.htm
National Lead Information Center. - Document Request
Site. US EPA. http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/nlic.htm
Solicit relevant brochures and educational handouts
'ocal sources:
Local water utility
State and local health agencies
Certified local water testing laboratories
State drinking water program
State and local environmental groups
Other Resources and Information
Local Resources
Secure the following information from these local
sources:
Local Water Supplier
Annual water quality report
Details about how your water is treated
State Department of Health/Environmental Protection
Lead and drinking water public health information
State lead-in-drinking-water regulatory guidelines
Testing children for blood lead levels
National Toil-Free Hotlines
Call to locate the appropriate agencies and secure
drinking water information.
EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline
(800) 426-4791
Community Right-to-Know Hotline
(800) 424-9346
Lead Hotline
(800) 424-LEAD (5323)
Government, Professional Organization and
Advocacy Websites
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/
Clean Water Fund
www.cleanwaterfund.org/
United States Department of Education
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osdfs/7srcsoc
National Head Start Association
www.nhsa.org/
Healthy Schools Network
www.healthyschools.org/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Lead Poison Prevention Program
www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/lead.htm
American Water Works Association (AWWA)
www.awwa.org/
Campaign for Safe and Affordable Drinking Water
www.safe-drinking-water.org/
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COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL
Together we can raise lead awareness and help minimize
lead levels in school and child care facility drinking water
From:
Contact: . We, in turn,
are reaching out to you as a partner with the resources and
family-values commitment to help us broaden and strengthen
the impact of our own locally launched, lead-awareness
campaign.
Background Information
Provide a brief overview of your organization's mission,
history, leadership and track record of community
involvement.
I Underscore what your organization brings to the
table in terms of credibility, influence, membership,
following, and success related to the promotion of
healthcare, child welfare, education and family values.
Include any awards or official recognition your
organization and/or leadership has garnered.
Indicate that further information is attached or
available at your organization's website.
Lead in school and child care facility drinking water puts
our children at risk. Lead is a toxic metal that can be
harmful to human health when ingested or inhaled.
Furthermore, unlike most other contaminants, lead is
stored in our bones and can be released later into the
bloodstream, which means even small doses can
accumulate and become significant.
Unfortunately, those most at risk from lead exposure are
the most defenseless - fetuses, infants and young
children - whose rapidly growing bodies tend to absorb
more lead than the average adult. Childhood lead
exposure can impair development of the brain and
central nervous system. Even at low levels, the adverse
effects may include lowered IQ, impaired hearing,
reduced attention span, and poor classroom
performance. At higher levels, lead can cause even
more serious brain damage. Of equal concern,
accumulated lead stored in a mother's blood may
damage a child before it is born, lowering the newbom's
birth weight and retarding normal physical and mental
development.
The level of risk does, indeed, depend upon a child's
total exposure to lead from all sources in the
environment - air, soil, dust, food and water.
Nevertheless, lead in drinking water can be a significant
contributor to overall exposure, particularly for children
and infants whose diets consist of liquids made with
water.
This makes lead and water awareness vital to the
maintenance of a healthy environment for our
community's children. Education is our method, and
action - in the form of voluntary testing and monitoring
by schools and child care facilities - is our ultimate goal.
Why? Because schools and child care facilities are
where children are most vulnerable due to the amount of
time spent and water consumed there, compounded by
the age of the plumbing, and the on-again/off-again
water-use patterns that promote corrosion.
Your partnership and underwriting assistance is vital to
our effort. We need your help. What's more, we're
confident we can count on your support. As a partner
and co-sponsor of our campaign, we are asking you for
the following:
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Funds to help underwrite the costs of staging and
publicizing our events and activities
Volunteers and speakers to participate in workshops,
forums, press conferences and media events
High-traffic venues for displays, signage, information
dissemination, news conferences and public
gatherings, including: (Tailor this to your partner.)
Access to your mailing lists, media contacts, public
relations expertise, and both employee and customer
communications, including: (Tailor this
to your partner.)
Your name recognition as a co-sponsor throughout
the campaign, which will greatly enhance the credibility of
our efforts and significantly elevate the news value for
local press
Here are our proposed activities and initiatives.
Provide a brief overview of the campaign, special
events and/or advocacy initiatives your organization is
planning.
List other partners who are lending their resources
and expertise to your awareness effort.
t Enlist your collaborator's input and suggestions,
including possible opportunities to tie in with partner
initiatives that are already in the planning stages or in
place.
For
awareness and build public trust
Inclusion in all marketing, collateral, public relations
and communications materials to exponentially multiply the
impact of your partnership support
Reinforcement of your stated mission to give back to
the community
Enhancement of your community/family-values public
image
• Public recognition opportunities for your employees,
from staff to management and president/CEO
Let's take the next step. In light of what is at stake, I'm
confident of your support. To solidify our collaboration, I'll
be following up by phone in the next few days. On behalf
of I would only add that we are very
excited about the impact
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