10/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/08/2024 13:16
EPA announces new final regulations and new funding under the Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda for clean drinking water
October 8, 2024
Alongside the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, EPA is announcing $268,618,000 in newly available drinking water infrastructure funding for California through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding will flow through the drinking water state revolving funds (DWSRFs) and is available to support lead pipe replacement and inventory projects. Additionally, 49% of the funding must be provided to disadvantaged communities as grant funding or principal forgiveness that does not have to be repaid.
"All Americans deserve lead-free water, and California is doing the critical public health work of helping water utilities -- including in underserved communities -- search their systems to identify dangerous lead service lines, and then providing the necessary funding to remove and replace these outdated lead pipes," said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman.
EPA is also announcing the availability of $35 million in competitive grant funding to reduce 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. EPA has developed a website that identifies available funding sources.
EPA estimates that up to 9 million homes are served through legacy lead pipes across the country, many of which are in lower-income communities and communities of color. As a result, these communities continue to be exposed to and impacted by lead at disproportionately high rates. Eliminating lead exposure from the air people breathe, water people drink, and homes people live in is a crucial component of the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to advancing environmental justice.
In Western states, lead service lines are not as well documented as elsewhere in the country. Therefore, California is utilizing EPA funding to complete its Service Line Inventory by the October 16, 2024, deadline set by the Lead and Copper Rule Revision. Californiawill continue to update those inventories over the next several years to ensure all lead pipes are identified and addressed.
The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements establish achievable, common-sense practices that several states and cities have implemented. The final rule's public health and economic benefits are estimated to be more than ten times greater than the costs. With new funding announced today under the Biden-Harris Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, water systems can accelerate the removal of lead pipes and create good-paying local jobs.
The science is clear: Lead is a potent neurotoxin, and there is no safe level of lead exposure, particularly for children. In children, lead can severely harm mental and physical development, slow down learning, and irreversibly damage the brain. In adults, lead can cause increased blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function, and cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control, if someone is impacted by lead exposure, there is no known antidote. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements strengthen nationwide requirements to protect children and adults from lead's significant and irreversible health effects in drinking water. For more information, including a pre-publication version of the federal register notice and fact sheets, visit the rule webpage.
California has already begun tackling the potential lead issue in drinking water service lines. The California State Water Board committed approximately $7.5 million to provide technical assistance for small, disadvantaged community water systems by completing lead service line inventories. There are 66 systems currently, with a total population of 228,154 benefiting from the assistance. In addition, the California State Water Board is working towards a funding agreement with the City of San Diego to provide $7,700,000 in funding to inventory lead service lines in the City's water system. The City serves approximately 1.4 million people through 282,245 service connections.
Background:
EPA is taking a comprehensive approach to getting the lead out, including:
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