We have known for some time now that lead exposure, even at low levels, can cause serious health problems, particularly for children and pregnant women. Bans on the use of lead materials in residential construction began nearly 50 years ago with lead paint and, by 1986, the bans included lead pipes. However, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates up to 4 million (down from 9 million) homes and businesses are still connected to water mains through legacy pipes, disproportionally impacting concentrated neighborhoods home to low-income and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) populations.
The EPA’s Lead & Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), released in October 2024, provides a pathway for water suppliers to proactively remove lead service lines (LSLs) identified under the Lead & Copper Rule Revision (LCRR). This latest regulation also strengthens requirements for water suppliers who choose not to replace LSLs immediately, including ongoing water quality monitoring, point of use filter distribution, public noticing and education, optimizing corrosion control treatment, and eventual replacement. If you completed the inventory identifying known and unknown service lines by October 2024 as per the LCRR, you are well positioned to start implementing a replacement program and avoid the hassle and cost of additional monitoring or noticing requirements.