The Biden administration on Tuesday announced a new rule that mandates water utilities replace nearly all lead pipes nationwide within 10 years—a major move to eliminate a neurotoxin that affects our water supply.

According to a news release from the Environmental Protection Agency, an additional $2.6 billion was pledged in new funding to support lead pipe replacement.

The rule comes after a boost in federal funding: the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocates $50 billion over five years for drinking water and wastewater upgrades, including $15 billion specifically for replacing lead service lines and $11.7 billion from Drinking Water State Revolving Funds that can be used for this effort.

Removing Lead Pipes, An Investment in Public Health 

“There has never been more federal funding available to remove lead pipes. And let me just add that investing in our water infrastructure is not only an investment in public health, it’s an investment in local economies,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a statement. “For every $1 billion invested in water infrastructure, we create approximately 15,500 jobs.”

• Lead pipes are commonly found in older cities and homes built before 1986. 
• The EPA estimates that up to 9 million homes use legacy lead pipes across the country. 
• The problem is most prevalent in Midwest States and in Florida according to a map from the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The updated Lead and Copper Rule sets stricter limits on lead in drinking water, requiring more rigorous testing and lowering the action threshold for communities. It introduces the toughest standards since the EPA’s initial 1993 drinking water standards. The EPA identifies lead service lines as the main source of contamination in drinking water. 

New Standards: The rule lowers the allowable lead level from 15 parts per billion (ppb) to 10 ppb. If levels exceed this limit, utilities must provide water filters. Some environmental advocates pushed for stricter limits of 0-5 ppb.