EPA, Chicago form drinking water partnership to identify, replace lead pipes

(UI) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing a collaboration with the city of North Chicago, Illinois, to help identify drinking water lead pipes, accelerate their replacement and protect public health.

The city of North Chicago is participating in EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative, a program funded entirely by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help move the nation towards achieving 100% lead service line replacement. The Get the Lead Out Initiative will provide technical assistance to approximately 200 communities nationwide.

Many underserved communities lack the resources to plan for lead pipe replacement and access federal investments. The technical assistance provided through the Get the Lead Out Initiative will help ensure that no community is left behind in the opportunity to replace lead pipes.

Under the Get the Lead Out Initiative, EPA will support the city of North Chicago with some critical first steps to lead pipe replacement including identifying lead pipes and educating the public about lead pipes. As a result of these efforts, the city of North Chicago will move quickly towards President Biden’s goal of 100% lead-free pipes.

Under the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, all public water utilities are required to prepare and maintain an inventory of service line materials by October 16, 2024, or sooner if required by the state agency. Communities wishing to receive assistance with lead service line replacement can request assistance by completing the WaterTA request form on EPA’s WaterTA website.

Signed in 2021, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided a historic $50 billion investment in water and wastewater infrastructure, dedicating more than $15 billion to replacing lead service lines.

 

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