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Jimmy Williams
President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that his administration will provide $2.6 billion in funding to replace all lead pipes in the United States, as part of a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule. This initiative, stemming from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, requires that lead pipes be identified and replaced within the next 10 years, a critical step toward eliminating dangerous lead contamination in drinking water.
Speaking from Milwaukee, a city with 65,000 lead pipes that will cost an estimated $700 million to remove, Biden said, “We’re here today because we’re finally addressing an issue that should have been addressed a long time ago in this country—the danger that lead pipes pose to our drinking water.” He added, “For too long, local communities have known how important it was to deal with this problem. It hadn’t been given the national priority that it demanded though. I’m here today to tell you that I’m finally insisting that it gets prioritized and I’m insisting it get done.”
Biden emphasized that the initiative is about fairness and justice, noting that nearly half of the funding will go to disadvantaged communities that have been disproportionately affected by lead poisoning. “Studies show … communities of color have been the hardest hit,” he said, citing research showing that Black children are at least twice as likely as others to have elevated levels of lead in their blood.
The EPA estimates that approximately nine million homes in the U.S. still have lead pipes. Milwaukee is one of the most affected cities, and Wisconsin is one of six states where lead levels in children’s blood are more than double the national rate, according to a 2021 study published in JAMA Pediatrics.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan reinforced the importance of the initiative, stating, “The science has been clear for decades—there is no safe level of lead in drinking water.” The new EPA rule will implement stricter testing requirements and mandate a complete inventory of lead water pipes across the country.
The $2.6 billion allocated for lead pipe removal is part of the $50 billion designated for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. This marks the latest effort by the Biden administration to prioritize environmental justice and public health.
The announcement comes as Biden focuses on winning key swing states like Wisconsin, where lead contamination has been a major issue. Biden’s last visit to the state was nearly a month ago, underscoring the political significance of this initiative.
Milwaukee mother and activist Deanna Branch, whose son suffered severe health effects from lead poisoning, expressed hope that the new plan will create safer environments for families. “When I first started advocating, there was a 50-year plan that went down to a 40-year plan. Now there is a nine-year plan to remove all the lead pipes in Milwaukee,” Branch told CBS News. “I should be alive to see the lead pipes being removed out of Milwaukee, and that gives me hope for other places as well.”
Biden’s announcement is part of a broader push to address environmental inequalities across the U.S. The president concluded, “This is a human right. Every American deserves access to clean drinking water.”
