In race to prevent lead in our drinking water, who is being left behind?

1. There are an estimated 9.2 million lead pipes in the U.S., with the majority in the Midwest. 

2. Nationally, the average cost for a full lead service line replacement ranges between $5,000 and $7,000. In places like Chicago, estimates are closer to $16,000 to $30,000.

3. The Biden administration has invested an unprecedented $50 billion in the nation's water and wastewater infrastructure, including $15 billion for lead service lines but experts say more money is needed to address this long-term. 

4. In children, even minimal exposure to lead has been linked to learning disabilities, slowed growth, anemia, hearing problems and nerve damage. In pregnant women, lead exposure can result in premature birth and slowed fetal growth. 

5. Young children at highest risk for lead exposure are those living in housing built before 1978, non-Hispanic Black or African American children, children eligible for Medicaid, and children living in areas with higher poverty rates.

Lead pipes have been banned since the 1980s. Since water crises in places like Flint, Michigan and East Chicago, Indiana, there has been a major push in recent years to replace an estimated 9.2 million lead pipes in the U.S.

Utilities have said the uncharted nature of such an undertaking is exacerbated by the cost and complexity of such projects on a large scale under accelerated timelines.

With State Revolving Loan dollars and other resources, Lead Service Line Replacement programs are happening all across the country, but how they are financed and carried out varies: 

• Residents are financially responsible for replacing their portion 

• Cities or utilities cover the cost in cases where they’ve target public and/or private lines after major leaks 

• Residents receive a subsidy and only pay up to a certain amount to replace their lead pipe while the city pays for the public portion. In certain cases, cities or utilities are offering low-interest loans.

• Some cities are offering reimbursement only after the fact, meaning residents must have the money upfront to remove the lead pipes

• States have passed legislation allowing nominal utility rate increases to cover the utilities’ cost of replacing the full service line

The Biden administration has invested an unprecedented $50 billion in the nation's water and wastewater infrastructure, including $15 billion for lead service lines and $11.7 billion of general Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF) that can also be used for lead lines, according to the EPA.

The SRF program, established in 1996, works so that as utilities repay their loans, the repayments and interest circulate back into the dedicated revolving fund for future projects. Principal forgiveness loans do not have to be repaid.

1. Contact your water utility or a licensed plumber to find out if you have lead service lines — a pipe that runs from the water main or curb to the home’s internal plumbing. Fixtures in your home may also contain lead. The likelihood of lead pipes increases if your house was built before 1986. 

2. You can find out if you had lead service lines on your own, too. Use a key or a coin to gently scratch the pipe. If your pipe is soft, easily scratched and a magnet doesn’t stick to it, then it may be made of lead.