The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it will spend $3 billion to help states and territories identify and replace lead water pipes.
“The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said, announcing the funding Thursday in an agency news release.
Lead poses serious health risks and can cause irreversible brain damage in children.
The funding announced Thursday is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2021. It sets aside $15 billion overall to identify and replace lead pipes.
That is some of the best news for america in a very long time. Many people won’t realize this though, you know, because of the lead…
What are they replacing them with?
I’m guessing either copper, PVC, or CPVC. The worry about PVC and CPVC is micro plastics, but I think that lead is probably more harmful then micro plastics anyway.
For sure. Copper is expensive. I imagine they’ll go with plastics.
There’s always the possibility that they’ll do a mix of everything depending on environment, though I’m not sure if there are environments where plastics pipes may potentially degrade faster than copper or vice versa.
That’s true. I guess time to invest in copper and plastic? Haha
Asbestos of course…
checks out
Unleaded Supreme
Damn. I was hoping e85.
That sounds like a lot. It isn’t. It’s a drop in the bucket. So is the $15 billion.
After conducting a survey of these lead pipes in the United States, NRDC estimates that there is a range of 9.7 million to 12.8 million pipes that are, or may be, lead, spread across all 50 states, including those that claim to have none.
https://www.nrdc.org/resources/lead-pipes-are-widespread-and-used-every-state
No way is $15 billion going to be enough to dig up and replace that much lead piping.
Probably not, but it sure beats $0.
I’m not trying to let the perfect be the enemy of the good, but this is being sold as a cure when it’s a band-aid.
Thank. You. Joe. Biden.
If the US votes Trump they deserve the shitshow they get. FFS.
bUt gENociDE
Seems like the simplest solution would be to flood the existing pipes with liquid protons. The lead will be converted to gold. Any leftover protons will just combine with oxygen in the air and become water. Really pure water!
ah yes the magical pipes that create more boomers
Can’t wait to see the 'Pubs speak and vote out against this. “We like 'em fine”
Start with Flint.
They have been. For years now. Do cities where it hasnt turned into a disaster before it does.
I wonder which politician’s pocket that lands in, while they actually do nothing about lead pipes?
Ukraine really needs to recycle these pipes. They want to make holes too.
Nice but not enough
