The Agency Drags Its Feet Addressing Lead and Copper Poisoning the Drinking Water of Millions

Officials at the Environmental Protection Agency have been saying for more than a decade that they want to overhaul regulations on lead and copper in our nation’s drinking water, but even the Flint water crisis hasn’t been enough to speed things up.

Trump has yet to nominate an assistant administrator for water at the EPA, a job that requires Senate confirmation. Trump did pick a deputy for the office, however, a post that doesn’t require confirmation. That job went to former lobbyist Dennis Lee Forsgren Jr.

There are currently 10 open executive positions at the EPA with no candidates. Meanwhile EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt busies himself with undoing regulations that might harm industry profits.

“Updating this outdated rule will not only protect public health, it will restore public confidence in their water systems,” said Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), who has introduced a bill, H.R. 1974, that would require the EPA to update the Lead and Copper Rule within nine months.

The last action on the bill was in April when it was referred to the House Subcommittee on the Environment.

The 1991 rule, last updated in 2007, has been criticized as too lax in how utilities test for lead in homes. The rule failed to protect Flint, Mich., from devastating lead poisoning.

“EPA continues to evaluate the science and consider the input from our stakeholders to assess potential revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule that would improve public health protection,” said an agency spokesperson.

Action Box/What You Can Do About It Call Dennis Lee Forsgren at 202-564-5700. Write him using the mail code 4101M at Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20460. Forsgren’s email is [email protected].

Nationwide, an estimated 6.5 million to 10 million homes have lead lines which connect to the water main in the street. Millions of older buildings have water lines with lead solder. Congress didn’t ban lead in most plumbing materials until 1986.

The cost to replace these lines is estimated at $16 billion to $80 billion. One option would be for the EPA to require replacing pipes that can deliver tainted water to our nation.

The rule originally said utilities were responsible for pipes they control, not just the pipes they own. This was changed in 2000 after American Water Works Association sued the agency, meaning that homeowners could be stuck with paying for the lines to be replaced if they want safe drinking water.

Lead can cause delays in physical and mental development in infants and children. In adults, lead can cause kidney problems and high blood pressure. There is no safe level of lead.

Copper exposure can cause stomach and intestinal distress and liver and kidney damage.

Lead in drinking water disproportionately affects lower-income people. Detroit alone, where 40% of the population is below the poverty line, has an estimated 100,000 lead service lines.

Road construction or maintenance of gas or buried power lines can introduce high levels of lead into drinking water.

The latest timetable for a draft of a new rule is in January. Required revisions would mean a final rule wouldn’t be ready until July 2019 at the earliest.

Featured Photo: Tap water in Flint, Mich. Photo from Fordham University.