Biden Administration Seeks to Do Away With Lead Pipes For Good

The Biden administration announced this week an aggressive plan to remove all remaining lead pipe infrastructure in the US. The rule strengthens water quality regulations set during the Trump administration. It requires water utility companies to replace the toxic pipes by 2034 at the latest.

“It’s taken too long and hasn’t been given enough priority — until now. This is the United States of America, for God’s sake. There’s no safe level of lead exposure. Period. None,” President Biden said Tuesday during a public address in Wisconsin. The state that has about 340,000 lead pipes it still needs to get rid of. 

“What’s the government for if it cannot protect public health?” Biden added.

To help put the new rule in place, Biden pledged $2.6 billion. The money expands the pool of already-available aid under Biden’s 2021 infrastructure bill. It gave $15 billion toward lead pipe removal efforts. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that at least 9 million lead pipes remain throughout the US.

Lead pipes were first installed in the late 1800s through mid 1970s. They were banned in all new construction in the US in 1986. That’s because they corrode over time. Then, lead can get into the drinking water supply. The metal has been found to cause developmental delays in infants and children. Lead poisoning can also result in muscle aches, vomiting, fatigue, and severe weight loss.  

Republican leaders criticized the new measures. State Attorney General Kris Kobach of Kansas was among them. “The benefits (of lead pipe removal),” Kobach posted on X, “may be entirely speculative.” 

Reflect: How important do you think it is for communities to invest in keeping their water safe and clean?

Photo of President Joe Biden delivering remarks on replacing lead pipes from Reuters.