The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final rule requiring
drinking water systems across the United States to identify and replace lead pipes
within 10 years. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) also require
more-rigorous testing of drinking water and a lower threshold requiring
communities to take action to protect people from lead exposure in water. In
addition, the final rule improves communication within communities so that
customers are better informed about the risk of lead in drinking water, the
location of lead pipes, and plans for replacing them.

Alongside the LCRI, EPA is announcing $2.6 billion in newly available drinking
water infrastructure funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This
funding will flow through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and is
available to support lead pipe replacement and inventory projects. Additionally,
49 percent of the funding must be provided to disadvantaged communities as
grant funding or principal forgiveness that does not have to be repaid.

The EPA has also announced the availability of $35 million in competitive grant
funding for reducing lead in drinking water. Communities are invited to apply
directly for grant funding through this program. Additional federal funding is
available to support lead pipe replacement projects and EPA has developed
a website identifying available funding sources.

The LCRI establish achievable, common-sense practices that have been
implemented by several states and cities. The public health and economic
benefits of the final rule are estimated to be up to 13 times greater than the
costs, and together with new funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,
water systems will be able to accelerate removal of lead pipes.
For more information go to www.epa.org.