COLUMBUS, Ohio — Odessa Scherer has led Gingerbread House Day Nursery in the Short North for 30 years.

“We care for six weeks up to school age,” she said.

It’s the group most at risk from lead exposure, according to the CDC, EPA and Ohio Department of Health.

“Even at low levels, it can lower a child's IQ,” said Gov. Mike DeWine.

On Friday, the governor, along with the head of the Ohio EPA and Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, announced a grant of $500,000 through the state’s H2Ohio program to help remove lead water lines connected to licensed child care centers.

H2Ohio, developed in 2019 to improve water quality across the state, has funded similar projects in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo.

“Columbus will replace service lines supplying drinking water to 30 licensed day care centers

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