The Department of Health is partnering with the Department of Children and Families to provide registered and licensed family home child care providers, who are on a private drinking water system (typically a well or spring), an opportunity to apply for the chance to be awarded a free drinking water test kit. This drinking water test kit will meet the Family Child Care Home Licensing Rules 2.3.9.5.3 and 2.3.9.5.4 which requires these tests at license renewal time.
The free test kit will test for coliform and E.coli bacteria, first-draw lead, and arsenic, nitrate/nitrite, manganese, fluoride and uranium. The test kit contains three separate bottles, and the bottles must either be driven back to the Health Department Laboratory at 359 South Park Drive, Colchester Vermont between the hours of 7:45 am and 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, or mailed back to PO Box 1125, Burlington, VT.
In order to take advantage of this offer for a free test kit, please complete this online private drinking water test kit application Private Drinking Water Test Kit Application for Child Cares . You must complete the application by Monday, August 22, 2016.
Registered and licensed family child care homes that are on public water are not eligible for free test kits. Public water suppliers test the public water regularly for these contaminants. However, family child care homes on public water supplies are responsible for performing the first-draw lead test ($12).
If you have questions about child care licensing, please call the Licensor on Duty at the Child Development Division at 800-649-2642. Specific questions about this kit and licensing rules you can contact Heather Mattison at the Department of Children and Families - 802-241-0816 or by emailing heather.mattison@vermont.gov.
If you have questions about drinking water testing, please call the Department of Health at 1-800-439-8550.