Cleaner Air Sought At West Hartford Schools

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Two West Hartford schools are poised to receive state funding to help with air quality inside the buildings.

State Sen. Derek Slap, D-West Hartford, said recently the state Department of Administrative Services unveiled its 2024 list of Indoor Air Quality grants for public schools in Connecticut.

He said nearly $3.5 million are for West Hartford schools, a 38.22 percent reimbursement rate for each project.

Schools earmarked for the funds are Duffy Elementary School, which will receive $1,646,422, and Webster Hill Elementary School, set to receive $ 1,807,704.

The funding will be used for testing and remediation of any hazardous materials in the existing ventilation systems and to upgrade the buildings' electrical systems.

“This state funding is huge for our students, their families, teachers and staff and West Hartford taxpayers,” said Slap.

“Ensuring our students have clean and healthy environments to learn in has been a top priority of my mine and my colleagues. I am thrilled to see this funding make its way to our classrooms through state and local collaboration.”

The grants are being awarded through the HVAC Indoor Air Quality Grants Program for Public Schools.

This is a state program that is administered by DAS.

In fiscal year 2023, DAS committed $56 million to projects across the state to address indoor air quality in school buildings, according to Slap.