The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a new major initiative to accelerate lead service line removal and replacement.
The “Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators” will provide targeted technical assistance services to help underserved communities access funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and replace lead pipes that pose risks to public health.
The initiative is a partnership with the Department of Labor and the states of Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. The initiative will work with 40 communities across those states in 2023.
“The science is clear — there is no safe level of exposure to lead,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “EPA is committed to partnering with states and communities to protect children and families and ensure our nation's drinking water pipes are lead-free. Our Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators demonstrate our commitment to ensuring every community has access to safe, clean drinking water.”
Through the Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) Accelerators, EPA will provide hands-on support to guide communities through the process of lead service line removals, from start to finish. This will include support in developing lead service line replacement plans, conducting inventories to identify lead pipes, increasing community outreach and education efforts, and supporting applications for IIJA funding. As a result, more communities will be able to access their fair share of federal funds to secure a lead-free future.
Partnership is core to the LSLR Accelerators initiative. EPA says that it will collaborate each step of the way with the partner states. The Accelerators initiative will support these states in more strategically deploying funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) for lead service line replacements while developing best practices and creative approaches that can serve as a roadmap for the rest of the country. As this program moves forward, EPA and the Department of Labor will collaborate to provide tools aimed at increasing job quality standards, equity, and resources to accelerate the development of the skilled water workforce needed to undertake these community and system-wide lead service line replacement programs.
