The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it will spend $3 billion to help states and territories identify and replace lead water pipes.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it will spend $3 billion to help states and territories identify and replace lead water pipes.

“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,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said, announcing the funding Thursday in an agency news release.

Lead poses serious health risks and can cause irreversible brain damage in children.

The funding announced Thursday is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2021. It sets aside $15 billion overall to identify and replace lead pipes.

  • venusaurBanned from community
    4·
    2 years ago

    What are they replacing them with?

    • Gigasser
      11·
      2 years ago

      I’m guessing either copper, PVC, or CPVC. The worry about PVC and CPVC is micro plastics, but I think that lead is probably more harmful then micro plastics anyway.

      • venusaurBanned from community
        5·
        2 years ago

        For sure. Copper is expensive. I imagine they’ll go with plastics.

        • Gigasser
          2·
          2 years ago

          There’s always the possibility that they’ll do a mix of everything depending on environment, though I’m not sure if there are environments where plastics pipes may potentially degrade faster than copper or vice versa.

          • venusaurBanned from community
            1·
            2 years ago

            That’s true. I guess time to invest in copper and plastic? Haha