On Tuesday, President Joe Biden’s administration finalized a rule requiring the removal of all remaining lead pipes in the U.S. within a decade, aiming to prevent millions from being exposed to the toxic metal linked to developmental delays in children.
This policy is a key part of the White House’s environmental justice agenda, as lead pipes are disproportionately found in lower-income and minority communities. Since Biden took office, more than 367,000 lead pipes have been replaced, benefiting nearly a million people, according to the White House. However, around nine million homes are still served by lead lines.
“The only solution is to replace every lead pipe and ensure all Americans have access to clean water,” Biden said during the announcement in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Industry groups cautiously welcomed the nationwide removal goal but pointed out challenges, such as the fact that in many areas, lead service lines are partly on private property and owned by homeowners rather than utilities. The American Water Works Association noted that while the rule requires utilities to replace lines under their control, further clarification is needed to ensure utilities are acting within legal boundaries.
There is no safe level of lead exposure, which can cause irreversible cognitive damage in children. In adults, lead exposure can result in miscarriages, stillbirths, high blood pressure, kidney damage, and cancer.
The Biden administration first announced plans to eliminate lead pipes in 2021, but the initial approach was criticized for slowing down the rate of replacement and allowing small public water systems to avoid replacing them altogether. This led to lawsuits by nine states, the District of Columbia, and environmental groups, including Earthjustice and the Natural Resources Defense Council, which pushed for stronger regulations.
Mona Hanna, a pediatrician in Flint, Michigan—where a lead-contaminated water crisis occurred a decade ago—praised the final rule as a “game changer” for children and communities. She said the new regulations would prevent future tragedies like Flint.
Erik Olson of the Natural Resources Defense Council added that the new rule is “a leap forward in protecting the health of tens of millions of Americans.”
The funding for this initiative comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021, which allocated $50 billion for water infrastructure upgrades, including $15 billion specifically for lead service line replacement. On Tuesday, the administration announced an additional $2.6 billion in funding for the effort, with utilities expected to contribute, likely passing some costs on to customers.