Ensuring drinking water in childcare facilities is free from lead is vital for safeguarding young children’s health. Even low levels of lead exposure can impair cognitive development and behavior. Federal and state regulations require regular testing of all drinking and cooking fixtures to detect and mitigate lead hazards. Safe Home In-Lab Lead Test Kits streamline this process, offering EPA-certified accuracy.

 

Key Regulatory Guidelines

• Testing Frequency: Best practice is to sample every drinking and cooking fixture at least every five years—and every two years if there’s any concern about water quality. Check with your local law to find out if you have to test more frequently.
• Sampling Protocol: Follow state regulation for your sampling procedure. There may be guidance about first draw or flush draw sampling.
• Action Levels: The EPA’s goal for lead in drinking water is zero. Any result above 5 ppb (parts per billion) requires immediate remediation, fixture shutdown, retesting, and documentation.

 

Best Practices for Lead Testing

1. Map Your Water System
   Identify all points of consumption: faucets, drinking fountains, kitchen sinks, and ice machines. Clearly label and exclude non-consumption fixtures (e.g., utility sinks) from sampling.
2. Use First-Draw Sampling
   Collect samples first thing in the morning after an overnight stagnation period (typically over 8 hours). Fill each bottle directly, without flushing, to capture the highest possible lead concentration.
3. Certified Laboratory Analysis
   Only an EPA-certified laboratory can deliver results meeting regulatory standards. At-home strips or in-field kits lack the precision required for compliance.
4. Interpret & Act on Results
   • Under 5 ppb: Continue routine monitoring.
   • Over 5 ppb: Shut down the affected fixture, install EPA-approved point-of-use filtration or replace plumbing components, then retest to confirm remediation.

 

Why Safe Home In-Lab Lead Test Kits Are Your Easiest Solution

1. EPA-Accredited Lab
   All samples are analyzed by our EPA-certified laboratory. Ensure that your state’s regulations can be a nationally certified lab and that it doesn’t need to be certified in your state. Safe Home’s Lab is EPA-Certified and does testing in the state of Indiana where we are based.
2. Complete, Ready-to-Use Kits
   We offer Single Sample kits for testing one location. Or Two Sample kits if you need multiple locations or first draw and flush draw.
3. Fast, Actionable Reporting
   Receive detailed results within 5–7 business days through a secure online portal, your results are also digitally stored for your convenience.
4. Expert Customer Support

We have a team of in-house experts, based out of our lab in Madison, Indiana. We are willing to help you every step of the way from collecting your sample to understanding your results.

 

 

How to Implement in Your Facility

1. Order Your Kits
   Order your In-Lab Lead Test Kit Here.
2. Plan Your Sampling Day
   Coordinate with staff to ensure an 8–18 hour stagnation window and avoid early-morning water use.
3. Collect First-Draw Samples
   Follow the included instructions—if you need assistance understanding first draw and flush draw instructions just call and we’d be happy to help.
4. Return it to us
   Secure your samples and ship it back to our lab. Track your shipment and expected results date online.
5. Receive your digital report

In 3-5 days, you’ll receive your digital report with your exact lead concentrations.

 

Important Note:

Every state regulation is different when it comes to testing for lead in drinking water for child care facilities. Safe Home Test Kits will have your testing done at an EPA Certified Laboratory and is certified in Indiana and Kentucky. But some states require state-certified lab or additional regulation.

 

 

Conclusion

Testing for lead in drinking water is non-negotiable for child care facilities. Safe Home In-Lab Lead Test Kits remove complexity from the process—combining EPA-certified accuracy, simple sampling, and fast reporting. Take the guesswork out of compliance and protect the children in your care. Order Today.