Timeline proposed to get the lead out

With hundreds of thousands of lead service lines bringing water into Illinois communities, far too many know first-hand what experts have warned – there is no safe level of lead in our drinking water. Lead pipes are inherently unsafe. Exposure to lead impairs development, learning and behavior in children. Yet, these toxic lead pipes are the single largest source of lead-water contamination for millions of Americans.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just proposed an updated Lead & Copper rule which includes at 10-year deadline for most water utilities to fully replace lead service lines.

“The EPA’s proposed policy finally tackles the root of the problem — lead pipes that are inherently unsafe and unsuitable for drinking water. The agency’s 10-year deadline turns President Biden’s ambitious public health goal into an enforceable reality,” said John Rumpler, clean water director for Environment Illinois Research & Education Center.