Landmark Rule to Replace Lead Pipes

By Daphne Psaledakis and Jarrett Renshaw

(Reuters) – The Biden administration finalized a landmark rule on Tuesday that requires water utilities to replace virtually every lead pipe in the country within 10 years, addressing a significant threat particularly dangerous to infants and children.

The White House has prioritized removing every lead pipe in the U.S. within 10 years, as part of its plan to tackle racial disparities and environmental issues, following recent water contamination crises in Newark, New Jersey, and Flint, Michigan.

In a speech in Milwaukee, President Joe Biden emphasized that public officials have long recognized the dangers of lead pipes, but it has not received the national priority it deserves. "I'm here today to tell you that I finally insisted that it gets prioritized and I'm insisting it get done," said Biden.

The rule is viewed as popular in industrial Midwestern states, critical for next month's presidential election. Vice President Kamala Harris, also running for president this November, has called for the replacement of lead pipes, highlighting its importance for underserved communities.

Proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2023, the new rule imposes the strictest limits on lead in drinking water since federal standards were first established decades ago. It requires utilities to review their systems and replace lead pipes within 10 years, replacing a previous standard set by the Trump administration that lacked a universal replacement mandate.

Fifteen Republican attorneys general, led by Kris Kobach of Kansas, criticized the EPA rule, citing concerns that homeowners might bear costs of replacing pipes under their property.

Lead poisoning causes irreversible damage to the nervous system and brain, posing specific risks to infants and children. Service lines bringing water to homes are believed to be a primary source of lead exposure.

The EPA estimates that the stricter standard will prevent up to 900,000 infants from being born with low birthweight and avoid up to 1,500 premature deaths each year from heart disease.

The dangers of lead contamination were starkly revealed in Flint, Michigan, a decade ago. The 2021 bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated $50 billion for upgrades to the nation’s drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, with $15 billion earmarked for lead service line replacements.