RELEASE: EPA proposes 10-year deadline for replacing lead pipes

PennEnvironment hails landmark step to ‘get the lead out,’ encourages further action to ensure safe drinking water in schools

PHILADELPHIA– Consistent with a goal set by President Joe Biden, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed on Thursday a 10-year deadline for most water utilities to fully replace lead service lines. More than 9 million of these toxic pipes still bring drinking water into homes, child care facilities and other U.S. buildings, according to EPA. 

Unfortunately, the agency’s proposed updates to the Lead & Copper Rule would not require schools to install water stations with filters, as required by a new law in Michigan, and urged by organizations representing parents and educators.

“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 David Masur, executive director for the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center.  “These toxic pipes are the single largest source of lead-water contamination for millions of Americans. In mandating their rapid removal, EPA is moving to get the lead out — as common sense and safe drinking water demand.

The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center has been urging Pennsylvania state officials and the U.S. EPA to stop lead contamination since the Flint, Michigan drinking water crisis in 2014. Leading up to the EPA’s announcement, the groups also published significant research, including a report grading Pennsylvania for its state-level policies to address lead in school drinking water, a study uncovering significant lead in drinking water contamination across the Philadelphia school district, and a map displaying lead contamination at schools.

While making huge strides to address lead in tap water, PennEnvironment called on U.S. EPA to go further to ensure that best practices are required to be implemented in order to protect children from the threat of lead in school drinking water that are currently excluded from the agency’s proposal. 

“Our kids deserve safe drinking water wherever they go to learn and play each day. When it comes to schools’ drinking water, we would encourage the EPA to do more homework before finalizing this rule,” Masur said. ”Unfortunately, there is ample data showing that the threat of lead contamination in schools doesn’t only occur from lead service lines, but also from pipes running through school buildings, valves, lead solder joints, and even components in school drinking fountains themselves.” 

“By requiring federally regulated schools to replace lead-bearing fountains with new water stations and filters on all drinking water taps, the EPA can join states like Michigan in rising to the head of the class for protecting our kids from lead-tainted water,” noted Masur. 

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The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center is dedicated to protecting our air, water and open spaces. We work to protect the places we love, advance the environmental values we share, and win real results for our environment. For more information, visit www.pennenvironmencenter.org.