The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on December 16 steps to strengthen the regulatory framework on lead in drinking water.
Following the agency’s review of the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) under Executive Order 13990, the EPA concluded there are significant opportunities to improve the rule to support the overarching goal of proactively removing lead service lines and more equitably protecting public health.
In a Federal Register notice, the EPA announced that the LCRR will go into effect to support near-term development of actions to reduce lead in drinking water. At the same time, the EPA will develop a new proposed rulemaking to strengthen key elements of the rule. The agency anticipates finalizing the forthcoming Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) prior to October 16, 2024, the initial compliance date in the LCRR.
Residential household water well systems are not affected by the rule.
It should be noted that of all community water system LCRR violations, nearly 80 percent have been at small groundwater-supplied public water systems.
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