New EPA rule sets 10-year deadline for replacing lead pipes

Oct 8

Jack Aylmer Energy Correspondent

By Jack Aylmer (Energy Correspondent), Shea Taylor (Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)

It’s been more than a decade since the crisis in Flint, Michigan, highlighted concerns about the ongoing dangers of lead in drinking water. Now, President Joe Biden is setting a deadline for cities nationwide to replace all their lead pipes.

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A new Environmental Protection Agency rule revealed Tuesday, Oct. 8, will ensure lead pipes are eliminated in the U.S. within 10 years to give all Americans access to clean drinking water from the tap. This new rule is the strongest concerning lead in water in about 30 years.

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The head of the EPA said more than 9 million lead pipes are still used to deliver water to homes across the U.S.

The stricter new regulation requires lead concentrations to be no higher than 10 parts per billion, down from the current standard of 15 parts per billion.

If higher levels of lead are found in water, the rule would also require people be notified about ways to stay safe and for action to be taken while water systems also work to replace all lead pipes at the same time. Additionally, the new rule changes how lead levels are measured, which could significantly expand the number of water systems with excessive levels of lead.

The 10-year time frame won’t start for three years so utilities have time to prepare. Some cities with large volumes of lead pipes may be given an extension to meet the new standard.

The EPA estimates the new rules will prevent up to 900,000 babies from being born with a low birthweight and prevent up to 1,500 premature deaths a year from heart disease.

Tags: Cardiovascular disease, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Flint Michigan, Health, Joe Biden, Lead, Michigan

IT’S BEEN MORE THAN A DECADE SINCE THE CRISIS IN FLINT, MICHIGAN HIGHLIGHTED CONCERNS ABOUT THE ONGOING DANGERS OF LEAD IN DRINKING WATER.

NOW – PRESIDENT BIDEN IS SETTING A DEADLINE FOR CITIES NATIONWIDE TO REPLACE ALL THEIR LEAD PIPES.

A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RULE REVEALED TUESDAY WILL ENSURE LEAD PIPES ARE ELIMINATED IN THE U-S WITHIN 10 YEARS… IN AN EFFORT TO GIVE ALL AMERICANS ACCESS TO CLEAN DRINKING WATER FROM THE TAP.

THIS NEW RULE IS THE STRONGEST CONCERNING LEAD IN WATER IN ABOUT 30 YEARS.

THE HEAD OF THE E-P-A SAYS OVER 9 MILLION LEAD PIPES ARE STILL USED TO DELIVER WATER TO HOMES ACROSS THE U-S.

THE STRICTER NEW REGULATION REQUIRES LEAD CONCENTRATIONS BE NO HIGHER THAN 10 PARTS PER **BILLION** – DOWN FROM THE CURRENT STANDARD OF 15 PARTS PER BILLION.

IF HIGHER LEVELS OF LEAD THAN THAT ARE FOUND IN WATER – THE RULE WOULD ALSO REQUIRE PEOPLE BE NOTIFIED ABOUT WAYS TO STAY SAFE… AND FOR ACTION TO BE TAKEN WHILE WATER SYSTEMS ALSO WORK TO REPLACE ALL LEAD PIPES AT THE SAME TIME.

ADDITIONALLY – THE NEW RULE CHANGES *HOW* LEAD LEVELS ARE MEASURED… WHICH *COULD* SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND THE NUMBER OF WATER SYSTEMS WITH EXCESSIVE LEVELS OF LEAD.

THE 10-YEAR TIME FRAME WON’T START FOR THREE YEARS – SO UTILITIES HAVE TIME TO PREPARE.

AND *SOME* CITIES WITH LARGE VOLUMES OF LEAD PIPES MAY BE GIVEN AN EXTENSION TO MEET THE NEW STANDARD.

THE E-P-A ESTIMATES THE NEW RULES WILL PREVENT UP TO 900-THOUSANDS BABIES FROM BEING BORN WITH A LOW BIRTHWEIGHT… AND PREVENT UP TO 15-HUNDRED PREMATURE DEATHS A YEAR FROM HEART DISEASE.