Governor Signs Landmark Law to Protect Kids’ Drinking Water
Landmark “Filter First” legislation (HB 4341 and 4342, also known as the Clean Drinking Water Access Act) ensures that schools and childcare centers have filtered drinking water that is regularly maintained. The bill, which was signed into law Oct. 19, 2023, includes funding for installing or retrofitting filtered water fountains, bottle filling stations and faucets. Having filtered water in all Michigan schools means children are protected from high levels of lead and other harmful substances.
What Does This Mean for My School?
Filtered Water Required
The law requires every school and childcare center in the state to have filtered drinking water at each designated drinking faucet, fountain and bottle filling station. It also requires water sampling and testing. Schools have until January 2025 to create implementation plans, with upgrades complete before the end of the 2025-2026 school year.
Schools can take advantage of state funding previously set aside for filters, and grants are available to public schools and daycares in low-income communities to cover the cost of additional requirements.
How Can Elkay Help?
Elkay makes compliance with the new law easy, with complete solutions including bottle filling stations and fountains with filtration. Our filter status lights let you know when it’s time to change them, and easy filter change enhancements save staff time and resources. Our professional-grade filters trap particulate and reduce lead, cysts and chlorine taste and odor for cleaner, better tasting water. Elkay’s products also meet the new higher standards for lead limits.
Explore our filtered product solutions below to see how we can help you comply with these regulations.
