The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on May 2, 2024, $3 billion in funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help every state and territory identify and replace lead service lines.
The funding is through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).
“The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan in a press release.
“President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all,” said Regan.
The EPA and State Revolving Funds are working together to advance President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments go to disadvantaged communities that are burdened with underinvestment and climate change.
The press release states that lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families.
The $9 billion in total funding announced to date through the EPA’s Lead Service Line Replacement Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is expected to invest a total of $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funding made available through the funding must be provided as grants and forgiveable loans to disadvantaged communities.
The EPA estimates a national total of 9 million lead service lines across the country based on data from the 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment.
The funding will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water.
