The US could finally ditch lead pipes under new EPA decision
Michael Regan, administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), speaks during an event in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, DC, on January 27th, 2023. | Photo: Getty Images
The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule today that mandates the replacement of lead pipes in drinking water systems within 10 years. The agency also announced $2.6 billion in funding to upgrade systems and make the changes.
Up to 9 million homes across the US still get water that flows through old lead pipes, according to EPA estimates. Lead can get into drinking water when pipes corrode. And as a toxic metal, it can accumulate in the human body over time, which is particularly harmful to children.
The announcements today are supposed to accelerate the painfully slow progress that’s been made to address the health risks posed by lead exposure — risks that are often magnified in low-income neighborhoods and communities of…