KENNEWICK, Wash. – The Biden-Harris Administration has announced a final rule that mandates drinking water systems nationwide to identify and replace all lead pipes within the next ten years.
This effort is aimed at addressing the environmental and public health risks associated with lead piping.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has received over $57 million in funding for this initiative in Washington state and $37 million for Oregon. This funding comes through the bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“The danger the lead pipes pose to our drinking water, for too long, local communities have known how important it was to deal with this problem, it hadn’t been given the national priory it demanded though,” President Joe Biden said. “I’m here today to tell you that I’m finally insisting that it gets prioritized, and I’m insisting to get done.”
Lead pipes have been identified as a major health issue, posing risks, particularly to children and pregnant women. Lead is a neurotoxin known to cause significant health problems.
To address these concerns, the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements have been established. These improvements set higher standards for testing drinking water and communicating possible issues to the public.
Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Washington State Secretary of Health highlighted the importance of this replacement effort.
“Removing lead service lines in Washington state is essential for all communities to have access to safe drinking water,” Shah said. “This funding will ensure that the Washington State Department of Health is able to exceed updated EPA standards to protect our communities from lead exposure by testing, replacing, and monitoring service lines from the Puget Sound to the Palouse.”
The EPA estimates that the new rule could potentially protect up to 900,000 infants each year from low birth weight, reduce over 1,500 premature deaths related to heart disease, and safeguard the mental abilities of children.
Approximately half of the funding will be distributed as non-repayable grants to disadvantaged communities, ensuring that those most in need benefit from this initiative.
Maps of lead exposure in Washington can be found here.
