The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is distributing $3 billion in new funding to states to reduce lead in drinking water.
The new funds will be distributed in addition to $1.1 billion that was previously announced. The money will go toward finding and removing lead pipes that deliver water to homes, schools, and businesses.
Lead pipes are the main source of lead in drinking water, according to the EPA. Ingesting lead can severely affect mental and physical development, especially in children, causing brain damage and other potentially lifelong health issues.
Safer materials like copper or plastic such as cross-linked polyethylene or high-density polyethylene are now used for service lines. Replacing lead pipes with these involves complete removal of the old lead pipe and installation of the new line to make sure the entire line from the water main to the customer is free of lead.
EPA said updated data shows there are an estimated 4 million lead service lines in the U.S., down from 9 million that were previously estimated. The agency attributed the change to improved data gathering from lead service line inventories completed by states.
States receiving the largest allotments include Illinois ($309.5 million), Ohio ($202.6 million), New York ($191.6 million), Michigan ($149.3 million) and Pennsylvania ($135.4 million). Funding is being distributed based on the best available information locating the approximately 4 million active lead service lines, according to EPA officials.
Photo by Rajesh S Balouria from Pexels
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