Michigan Filter First Law Compliance Guide

Michigan’s Filter First Law: What Schools and Child-Care Centers Need to Know

Clean, safe drinking water for Michigan’s children is no longer optional—it’s the law.
The new Filter First legislation (HB 4341 and HB 4342) requires all K-12 schools and licensed child-care centers in Michigan to provide continuous access to filtered drinking water. If your facility hasn’t fully implemented a plan yet, now is the time. ProDrinkingFountains.com is here to help with compliant products from Elkay, Halsey Taylor, Oasis, Haws, and Murdock that make compliance simple and reliable.

What is the Michigan Filter First Law?

The Filter First law, also known as the Clean Drinking Water Access Act, took effect in late 2023. It ensures that every Michigan school and child-care facility protects children from lead and other contaminants by filtering every water fixture used for drinking or food preparation.

Under the law, all K-12 schools and licensed child-care centers must:

• Create a Drinking Water Management Plan (DWMP) to document every consumptive fixture
• Install lead-reducing filters on all outlets used for drinking or food preparation
• Conduct annual (schools) or bi-annual (child-care) water testing to verify performance
• Post clear signage on any unfiltered or shut-off fixtures
• Maintain ongoing records and replace filters as recommended by the manufacturer

This “filter-first” model replaces the old “test-and-chase” approach that relied on detecting lead after exposure. The goal is prevention—filtering water before it ever reaches a child’s glass.

Why Filter First Matters

Lead exposure is especially harmful to young children, even at extremely low levels. Many older buildings still have plumbing or solder that can leach lead into stagnant water. Traditional testing after the fact is costly and unreliable. Michigan’s Filter First program instead focuses on proactive protection through NSF/ANSI 53 and 42 certified filtration systems.

For schools and child-care providers, this is about more than compliance—it’s about health, safety, and community trust.

Key Deadlines and Requirements

While the law is already in effect, the most important deadlines are still ahead:

• January 24, 2025: Deadline for schools and child-care centers to complete their Drinking Water Management Plan
• October 24, 2025: All licensed child-care centers must serve only filtered drinking water
• End of the 2025-2026 school year: All Michigan K-12 schools must have approved filters on every consumptive fixture
• Ongoing: Annual testing (schools) or every two years (child-care centers)

If you missed the DWMP deadline, it’s not too late to act. Many facilities are still completing installations and retrofits right now. State grant funding and assistance are still available for schools and centers upgrading their systems.

What Counts as a “Consumptive Fixture”?

A consumptive fixture is any fixture used for drinking or preparing food and beverages. That includes:

• Bottle filling stations
• Drinking fountains
• Kitchen faucets used for cooking or mixing formula
• Break-room or classroom sinks used for drinking

Fixtures not used for consumption (such as bathroom sinks or mop basins) can be designated non-consumptive but must have proper signage indicating they are not for drinking.

What Type of Filters Are Required?

The law requires point-of-use (POU) filtration—not point-of-entry. That means filters must be installed directly at the fixture where water is consumed.

To qualify, filters must meet:

• NSF/ANSI Standard 53: Lead reduction
• NSF/ANSI Standard 42: Particulate reduction

Compliant systems include filtered bottle filling stations, faucet-mounted filters, and retrofit kits designed for existing fountains.

How ProDrinkingFountains.com Helps Schools and Centers Comply

We supply a full range of Filter First-compliant equipment from top manufacturers, including:

• Elkay filtered bottle filling stations and replacement filter cartridges
• Halsey Taylor filtered coolers and fountains
• Oasis filters and bottle fillers certified for lead reduction
• Haws retrofit and combination filtration systems
• Murdock vandal-resistant and ADA-compliant filtered fountains

Our team can help you:

• Choose the right filtration system for each location
• Replace outdated fountains with modern filtered bottle filling stations
• Plan filter maintenance and cartridge replacement schedules
• Prepare documentation for your DWMP compliance record

Whether you need one replacement filter or a complete building retrofit, ProDrinkingFountains.com can help you meet Michigan’s new requirements quickly and confidently.

Michigan Filter First Compliance Checklist

Use this checklist to guide your next steps:

1. Inventory all fixtures and identify which are used for drinking or food prep
2. Designate fixtures as consumptive or non-consumptive
3. Create or update your DWMP (Drinking Water Management Plan)
4. Select compliant point-of-use filters (NSF/ANSI 53 + 42)
5. Install filters or filtered bottle fillers at all consumptive outlets
6. Post signage on unfiltered or shut-off fixtures
7. Test filtered outlets annually and keep records of results
8. Replace filter cartridges as specified by the manufacturer
9. Train staff on maintenance and documentation procedures

By following these steps, schools and child-care centers will stay compliant and protect children from exposure to lead and other contaminants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who must comply with Filter First?
All public and private K-12 schools and licensed child-care centers in Michigan.

Are point-of-entry filters allowed?
No. Filters must be installed at the outlet where water is consumed (point-of-use).

Do we still need to test water if we use filters?
Yes. Filtered outlets must be tested annually for schools and every two years for child-care centers.

What happens if a filter fails testing?
The fixture must be shut off, repaired, or replaced, and retested before being returned to service.

Can we use existing fountains with new filters?
Yes. Many older models can be retrofitted with compatible filter kits or bottle-filling station add-ons.

Is funding available?
Yes. Michigan has allocated state and federal funds to assist schools and child-care centers with equipment and installation costs. Funding is available while resources last.

Final Thoughts

It’s not too late to act. Michigan’s Filter First law is reshaping how schools and child-care centers manage drinking water safety, and the compliance window is still open. If your facility hasn’t completed installation or is unsure which filters qualify, we can help.

Contact ProDrinkingFountains.com today to find the right Elkay, Halsey Taylor, Oasis, Haws, or Murdock filtered solution and keep your students safe, compliant, and hydrated.