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Biden administration announces plan to replace 100% of lead pipes in US homes
The Biden administration on Thursday announced a "whole of government strategy" to remove dangerous lead from Americans' drinking water, including billions of dollars to begin replacing 100% of the lead pipes servicing the nation's homes.
Environmental groups praised the plan, which includes a promise to begin the process of strengthening the nation's drinking water standards to reflect the science showing that lead is toxic for children at any level.
But lawyers at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which has been leading efforts to fight lead, said they worry that the plan lacks a solid timeline and fails to deliver enforceable requirements.
The set of actions announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) included the release of the first $2.9bn of $15bn approved in Biden's infrastructure plan for local water agencies to begin replacing lead pipes and called for the efforts to focus on the low-income communities who face the most risk of lead poisoning. It also listed 15 new actions across 10 federal agencies to address lead dangers from both water and paint.
(Score: 1) by krokodilerian on Friday December 17 2021, @10:58PM (9 children)
What year is this, how are there still lead pipes installed? There are pipes left from the 1920s, or something like that?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by HammeredGlass on Friday December 17 2021, @11:51PM (3 children)
They're fine as long as the water flowing through them doesn't encourage leeching.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 18 2021, @12:27AM (2 children)
Yes, and as long as they aren't disturbed. The issue in Flint, Michigan was that they started to pipe water through it that caused the lead to leach into the water supply.
That's not to say that this isn't a good idea, You never know when somebody is going to do something stupid like the manager did in Flint that will disturb the equilibrium.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by HammeredGlass on Saturday December 18 2021, @03:49AM (1 child)
They shouldn't have gone against everyone's advice by using the Flint River as a drinking water source.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 18 2021, @09:33PM
It was cheaper than the alternative. Oh wait...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 17 2021, @11:52PM
They didn't ban lead pipes until 1986. Even then, some lead was still allowed until 2014 (but the easiest way to comply with the earlier rule was to use PVC).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 18 2021, @12:24AM (1 child)
How often do you think municipal water systems are torn up and replaced? That's exponentially more expensive than building in the first place...
(Score: 2) by Username on Saturday December 18 2021, @01:03AM
When they replace the road.
The issue is the property owner's service laterals. Nobody wants to mess with a buildings foundation.
(Score: 2) by zocalo on Saturday December 18 2021, @09:08AM (1 child)
FWIW, my second reaction was, "Wait! Doesn't lead poisoning make people dumber and more violent? Come to think of it, that probably explains a few things..."
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Saturday December 18 2021, @09:42PM
Well, for millionaires to become billionaires, someone has to suffer.
Carbon, The only element in the known universe to ever gain sentience