The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule requiring drinking water systems across the country to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years.
The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) also require more rigorous testing of drinking water and a lower threshold requiring communities to take action to protect people from lead exposure in water. In addition, the final rule improves communication within communities so that families are better informed about the risk of lead in drinking water, the location of lead pipes, and plans for replacing them.
Groundwater-supplied community public water systems are 84 percent of all community water systems and 84 percent of all water systems with lead and copper violations. Small groundwater systems serving 10,000 or fewer people represent 98 percent of the groundwater systems with lead and copper violations. Residential household water well systems are not affected by the rule.
Alongside the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, EPA is announcing $2.6 billion in newly available drinking water infrastructure funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding will flow through the drinking water state revolving funds (DWSRFs) and is available to support lead pipe replacement and inventory projects. Additionally, 49 percent of the funding must be provided to disadvantaged communities as grant funding or principal forgiveness that does not have to be repaid.
The EPA is also announcing the availability of $35 million in competitive grant funding for reducing lead in drinking water. Communities are invited to apply directly for grant funding through this program. Additional federal funding is available to support lead pipe replacement projects and the EPA has developed a website identifying available funding sources.
The EPA estimates that up to nine million homes are served through legacy lead pipes across the country. Click here to read the final rule.