One year ago, the Kent County Health Department, or KCHD, partnered with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, or MDHHS, and the City of Grand Rapids to educate Kent County residents about preventing lead exposure from older plumbing, faucets, fixtures, and water service lines.
These groups also collaborated with community partners distributing over 11,000 free drinking water filters to eligible households. More than 6,500 received replacement cartridges.
The program’s success has led to the MDHHS utilizing Kent County’s educational and logistics framework to help combat lead exposure throughout the state.
KCHD now moves into the next phase of its campaign, enhancing its “Getting Ahead of Lead” website. The site features a series of tools, resources and quick guides for residents related to lead exposure prevention.
Additionally, funding from the Kent County Board of Commissioners and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will be used to develop new lead reduction programs for communities outside the City of Grand Rapids over the next three years.
