By JEFF TIRRELL
(GREENFIELD, MA) –Three Franklin County school districts are on the receiving end of state grant money to improve drinking water in their schools. The so-called School Water Improvement Grants (SWIG) provides funding for schools to replace water fountains that tested positive for lead with filtered water bottle filling stations. Recipients are districts with education facilities that have completed voluntary testing and reported their testing results to MassDEP. This program will enhance the benefit of completing testing while also providing assistance to schools to mitigate lead in their drinking water. The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust administers the grant program. The Greenfield Public Schools will receive $15,000, the Mohawk Trail Regional School District will get $12,000, and the New Salem-Wendell School District is in line for $6,000.