13 states call on EPA to strengthen lead pipe removal proposal

(UI) – Last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended that all lead water pipes in the nation be replaced in a decade to mitigate health risks associated with lead exposure. Now, 13 lawyers from various states have called on the EPA to strengthen that proposal, according to The Hill.

The lawyers allege that the EPA’s proposal “does too little to protect public health generally and specifically to address the disparate impacts of lead-contaminated drinking water on underserved communities.”

Included in the concerns is a loophole that could leave lead service lines in some cities water system’s for decades. The provision in question “allows for flexibility” for cities with thousands of lead pipes, setting the yearly replacement threshold at 10,000.

The attorneys recommended doubling the timeframe cities have to replace lead pipes following the first 10 years set out by the original proposal.

This story was originally reported by The Hill.

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