New EPA Requirement Could Lead To Healthier Citizens

This needs to get implemented.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is putting forth a regulation necessitating the replacement of millions of lead service lines within the next decade across the United States.

This proposed rule aligns with the Biden administration’s goal of eliminating all lead pipes, recognizing the severe health and developmental risks associated with lead exposure, particularly among children. The EPA’s proposal mandates the replacement of these lines within ten years, irrespective of the measured lead levels in drinking water samples. Certain circumstances might permit additional time for complete system-wide line replacements, as stipulated in the proposal.

The Safe Drinking Water Act empowers the EPA to establish regulations for public water systems, with the Lead and Copper Rule, initiated in 1991, aiming to diminish lead exposure in drinking water. The revised rule in 2021 imposed more stringent requirements. The new proposal intends to fortify the approach toward addressing lead in drinking water by enhancing water system testing for lead levels, lowering the lead action level, and ensuring consistent yearly progress in replacing lead pipes, with minimal exceptions. The EPA retains enforcement authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act, including civil penalties or fines for non-compliance.

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a pediatrician and advocate for clean water, emphasized the urgency during an EPA-hosted briefing, highlighting the grave impact of lead exposure on children’s health and the imperative for change.

Lead exposure, even at low levels, poses serious health risks, including heightened vulnerability to cancer, stroke, kidney disease, and other adverse health outcomes in adults. For children, it detrimentally impacts growth and development, leading to long-term harm, as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Despite the ban on new lead pipes since the 1980s, approximately 9.2 million lead service lines persist across the US, notably affecting states like Illinois and Rhode Island. A considerable proportion of service lines necessitate replacement, with over half of the population exposed to lead levels surpassing recommended thresholds, according to a 2021 environmental analysis.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan emphasized the rule’s aim to ensure safe drinking water for all citizens, acknowledging the significant public health implications, even though compliance may involve substantial costs. The proposed benefits, estimated to outweigh costs four to tenfold, predominantly revolve around public health preservation, safeguarding against IQ loss, preventable diseases, and fatalities.

The Biden administration’s allocation of substantial funding, $15 billion through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and an additional $11.7 billion from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, underscores the commitment to address lead service line removal.

Public input will be solicited for 60 days on the proposed rule, accompanied by a public hearing in mid-January. The administration remains resolute in tackling this preventable public health challenge to safeguard children and families from lead exposure.