Cook County Announces LeadCare Pilot Program
Cook County Announces LeadCare Pilot Program — “I believe in clean, lead free drinking water, that’s a human right, just like housing or health care,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, at a news conference announcing the Cook County LeadCare Pilot Program in five suburban municipalities.
In partnership with Elevate, which for two decades has worked to create healthy environments for children to thrive, the county’s $15 million LeadCare Pilot Program will help municipalities address chronic, aging infrastructure, disinvestment and inequity by offering free lead serviceline replacement to licensed home based child care providers in suburban Cook County.
“Lead is a neurotoxin, there’s no safe level of lead exposure, emphasized Elevate’s CEO Anne Evens. “When present a lead service line can be the largest contributor of lead in drinking water.”
Evens added that lead is especially damaging to children under six, which is why the pilot program is targeting home based child care providers in Calumet City, Cicero, Harvey, Hazel Crest and Maywood.
Cook County Commissioner Monica Gordon, who represents the county’s 5th district in the south suburbs, said the program sends a powerful message that the health and safety of our children is a top priority.
“The launch of Cook County LeadCare is a significant milestone, but it is not the end of our efforts,” explained Gordon. “It’s a steppingstone toward a comprehensive approach to lead mitigation in our county.”
Gordon vowed to work tirelessly to find innovative solutions and collaborate with community stakeholders to address the issue of clean water holistically. The program is expected to expand throughout Cook County by 2025.
Preckwinkle invited home based child care providers who want to take part in the LeadCare Pilot Program to go online at www.leadcare.cookcounty.org for more information.
Also present at the news conference were Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark, Hazel Crest Mayor Vernard Alsberry Jr., Cook County Commissioners Frank Aguilar (16th District) Tara Stamps (1st District) and a representative for Maywood Mayor Nathaniel George Booker.
Cook County Announces LeadCare Pilot Program
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