"Biden Takes Moonshot Approach to Replacing Lead Water Pipes"

"The Biden administration wants to take a huge swing at the problem of lead water pipes, proposing to replace 100% of the nation’s lead pipes and service lines.

The American Jobs Plan released Wednesday will reduce lead exposure in 400,000 schools and child care centers and 6 to 10 million homes, and create union and prevailing wage jobs, according to the administration. To fund the plan, Biden said he’ll ask Congress to invest $45 billion in the EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and in Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN) grants.

Several advocates praised the plan, with Environment America’s Clean Water Program Director John Rumpler calling it “the single greatest step we’ve seen this century to reverse lead contamination of our drinking water.”

But others say the plan still isn’t big enough, in part because the full magnitude of the nation’s lead pipe problems is unknown."

Stephen Lee and Kellie Lunney report for Bloomberg Environment March 31, 2021.

SEE ALSO:

"Flint Serves as Model and Warning for Biden Infrastructure Plan" (Bloomberg)

"EPA Announces Public Listening Sessions and Roundtables on the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions" (EPA Release)

"Green Bay Water Utility GM Honored For Leading Removal Of Lead Pipes" (WLUK)