Biden EPA requires all lead pipes replaced within 10 years protecting 1 million Americans

The EPA finalizes the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, establishing the first-ever national requirement to replace all lead service lines within 10 years. The rule is backed by $15 billion in dedicated funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the largest federal investment in lead pipe replacement ever. By late 2024, 367,000 lead pipes have already been replaced, benefiting nearly 1 million Americans. The rule is particularly significant for environmental justice, lead poisoning causes irreversible harm to children's brain development and disproportionately affects low-income communities and communities of color. Flint, Michigan's lead water crisis had exposed the scale of the national problem. The rule also addresses lead paint hazards.