The Biden administration is proposing new requirements today to replace nearly all lead pipes in the United States within a decade, according to a first report by the New York Times, fulfilling a key promise of the president aimed at fixing lead pipes following crises like the Flint water contamination that endangered the health of Americans.
Key Facts
The proposal, which will be issued today by the Environmental Protection Agency, calls for the removal of about nine million pipes nationwide, with a mandate for replacement within the next ten years.
The policy will also include “the strictest limits on lead in drinking water” within 30 years, according to the New York Times report, with the allowable limit of lead in drinking water being reduced from 15 parts per billion to 10 parts per billion.
The renovation is expected to cost between $20 billion and $30 billion over 10 years, according to the New York Times – $15 billion will come from the federal government through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021, and it is expected that utility companies and customers will cover the rest.
What to Watch For
The EPA’s proposal to renovate lead pipes will be published in the federal register and will accept public comments for 60 days, according to CNN, and it is possible that additional changes will be made before it is officially adopted by the agency.
The Big Number
$9.8 billion. This is the minimum amount estimated by the EPA that the proposal for replacing lead pipes would generate in economic benefits, according to the New York Times, which could reach $34.8 billion annually. This estimate is based on the likelihood that replacing lead pipes will lead to reduced health problems and mental impacts, especially among children.
Background
An analysis by the Environmental Medical Council in 2021 found that 56% of Americans (186 million people) drank water from drinking systems containing more than one part per billion of lead between 2018 and 2020, serving seven million people through drinking systems that exceeded 15 parts per billion. Although water can be transported through lead pipes and meet federal standards through tactics such as adding chemicals to the water that form a protective layer in lead pipes, lead in drinking water has led to a series of high-profile crises affecting local water supplies with contaminants. Lead contamination in cities like Washington, D.C., Newark, New Jersey, and Flint, Michigan, has affected public health, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicating that more than half of households in Flint (51%) reported that “the physical health of at least one family member has deteriorated due to the Flint water crisis.” The new EPA proposal comes after President Joe Biden promised that his administration would focus its efforts on replacing lead pipes and introduced a 10-year timeline, including issuing an action plan for lead pipes and paint in December 2021 after funding was allocated for it in the Infrastructure Law and mentioning the issue during his February speech to the European Union.
Further Reading
Biden Administration to Require Replacing of Lead Pipes Within 10 Years (New York Times)
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