Michael S. Regan 16th Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website
The Biden-Harris administration has announced the allocation of $3 billion as part of the "Investing in America's Journey" initiative to facilitate the replacement of lead pipes and promote drinking water safety across the United States.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this funding is aimed at helping states and territories identify and replace lead-containing water supply pipes to prevent lead exposure in drinking water, which can have severe health impacts, especially on children's brain development.
EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, "There is no safe level of lead exposure, and lead pipes are a major source of harmful exposure in drinking water." He highlighted President Biden's commitment to swiftly identifying and removing lead pipes to ensure a permanent solution to this issue.
The $3 billion allocation is part of the bipartisan infrastructure law and will be sourced through the EPA's successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). This funding will support efforts to advance the replacement of lead pipes nationwide, in alignment with the government's commitment to environmental justice.
The EPA's collaboration with the DWSRF aims to ensure that 40% of the total benefits from federal investments under the Justice40 initiative flow to marginalized communities facing inadequate investments and heavy pollution burdens, particularly impacting communities of color and low-income families.
The EPA's efforts under the "Lead Pipe Replacement Drinking Water State Revolving Fund" program have already secured a total funding of $9 billion, with plans to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide and provide clean drinking water to numerous households.
Various states have already begun utilizing the allocated funds for lead pipe replacement projects. For instance, Pennsylvania's West View Water Authority received $8 million to replace 750 lead pipes, benefiting communities in Allegheny County. Similarly, Tucson, Arizona, obtained $6.95 million to compile a list of lead pipes for replacement in nine public water systems, while Kinoshaw in Wisconsin is partnering with the EPA's Water TA team to remove 5,000 lead pipes.
The Biden-Harris administration's ambitious lead pipe removal plan has already yielded significant results across the country, with today's funding ensuring more families benefit from these unprecedented resources and support similar projects nationwide.
For more information on the impact of the bipartisan infrastructure law's historic investments in communities nationwide, visit the EPA's Investing in American Water Infrastructure Story Map. Additional updates on ongoing projects can be found in the EPA's quarterly reports on Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law.
The latest allocation of funds is based on the EPA's Seventh Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA), which includes an evaluation of newly submitted information. This data collection effort represents the most comprehensive assessment of water supply pipe materials in the United States to date.
To access further details, including the distribution of funds for each state in 2024 and information on the EPA's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, visit the EPA Drinking Water website.
