Opportunity Overview
The New Jersey School Lead Filters Program provides one-time reimbursement to public school districts for qualifying point-of-use filtered bottle-filling stations and filtered faucets that improve access to safer drinking water for students and staff. Applications are due September 30, 2026 through the School Lead Filters Program portal in NJDOE Homeroom.
Funding Structure
The FY2026 State appropriation provides $2,000,000 statewide for School Lead Filters. Each public school district receives a district-specific allocation based on 2025–2026 preschool-through-grade-12 state-aid enrollment, with a minimum allocation of $1,000. This is a reimbursement program, and the official NJDOE district allocation table controls the maximum reimbursable amount for each district.
Eligible Costs
Reimbursement is limited to qualifying point-of-use filtered bottle-filling stations and filtered faucets installed in school buildings, including up to one year of replacement filters per funded fixture. NJDOE states that qualifying costs incurred on or after July 1, 2024 may be eligible for reimbursement, subject to the program guidance and the district’s allocation.
Who Can Apply
All New Jersey public school districts are eligible. Districts are encouraged to prioritize drinking-water outlets with documented water-quality concerns or elevated lead levels. A complete application must include the required supporting documents and be submitted through NJDOE Homeroom by the deadline.
Program Considerations
Program considerations. This is a highly practical school infrastructure reimbursement program because every eligible district has an allocation and the allowable use is narrowly defined. The principal risk is administrative rather than competitive: districts need to match purchases and installation costs to NJDOE’s exact fixture and documentation rules.
Scope note. The program is specifically limited to lead-reducing filtered drinking-water fixtures and associated replacement filters. It is not a healthcare technology, telehealth, school nursing, or general equipment grant.
Recommended Next Action
Confirm the district’s official allocation, inventory existing drinking-water outlets, prioritize sites with known or suspected lead concerns, verify that each proposed fixture meets NJDOE guidance, compile invoices and installation documentation for eligible costs, and submit the complete reimbursement application in NJDOE Homeroom by September 30, 2026.
Verified sources: New Jersey Department of Education — School Lead Filters Program; FY2026 Appropriations Act (P.L. 2025, c. 74).