EPA’s Final Lead in Drinking Water Rule Could Leave Toxic Lead Pipes in the Ground For Decades

WASHINGTON – The Lead and Copper Rule finalized today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will leave millions of people exposed to toxic lead in drinking water for decades.   

The following is a statement by Erik D. Olson, Senior Strategic Director for Health at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):   

“EPA’s rule condemns millions of Americans to drink lead-contaminated water for a generation. That’s unjust and illegal. To protect against the scourge of lead poisoning we must remove the 6 to 10 million lead pipes buried in communities across the country. EPA’s new rule will leave those pipes in use for decades—and in many cases forever. We can, and must, do better.”   

Additional Resources:   

EPA’s New Drinking Water Rule Leaves Millions of Lead Pipes in the Ground to Contaminate A Generation of Children (NRDC press release, September 2020) 

Despite Major Health Risks, the EPA Plans to Leave Millions of Lead Water Pipes in the Ground (NRDC blog, September 2020) 

Watered Down Justice (2019) by NRDC, Environmental Justice Health Alliance, and Coming Clean.  

Lead Contaminated Water: EPA’s proposal Fails Our Kids (Feb 2020, blog)   

US EPA’s Proposed Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (Nov 2019, Federal Register)    

NRDC’s Comments to the EPA’s Proposed Revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule (Feb 2019)   

Flint Water Crisis (NRDC)    

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NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.