According to the EPA, approximately nine million homes in the U.S. currently have lead pipes. In Milwaukee alone, there are about 65,000 lead pipes, with city officials estimating that removal will cost around $700 million.
“The science has been clear for decades. There is no safe level of lead in drinking water,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan stated during a press briefing on Monday.
The final rule will not only require enhanced lead testing procedures but also mandates the creation of a complete inventory of lead water pipes. The $2.6 billion funding is part of a broader $50 billion commitment from the Biden administration for improving drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, as stipulated in the 2021 infrastructure law.
While potential legal challenges could arise, a senior administration official expressed confidence that the ruling is within the EPA’s statutory authority and is legally sound.
Biden’s visit to Milwaukee comes amidst a flurry of political activity in Wisconsin, with stops by both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. The President’s trip reflects his administration’s effort to secure support in a state that was narrowly won by Democrats in 2020 after being lost in 2016.
Wisconsin ranks among six states where blood lead levels in children exceed the national average, as highlighted by a 2021 study published in JAMA Pediatrics. Even minimal lead exposure can result in cognitive impairments in children, according to Dr. Adam Blumenberg, an emergency medicine physician and toxicology expert at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. If there’s any amount of concerning lead in a child, it’s crucial to identify and eliminate the source of exposure, Blumenberg advised.
Deanna Branch, a Milwaukee mother and lead-poisoning awareness advocate, expressed her relief at seeing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act funds being used to remove lead pipes in her community. Branch’s son, Aidan, suffered from lead poisoning while they lived in a home contaminated with lead in various forms, including paint, windows, pipes, and soil. His lead levels were alarmingly high, necessitating a move to a homeless shelter for nearly three months while they sought safe housing. This experience was traumatic for Aidan and left him with long-term health issues.
Though the Branch family now lives in a lead paint-free home, they still face the challenge of lead pipes. When I first started advocating, there was a 50-year plan, which then became a 40-year plan. Now, there’s a nine-year plan to remove all lead pipes in Milwaukee, Branch told CBS News. I want to see the removal of lead pipes in my lifetime, and that gives me hope for other communities as well.
However, Branch emphasizes that Milwaukee still requires more safe housing and health clinics. She highlights the lack of available safe housing in the community, noting that her previous residence was rented out until recently despite its hazards. Additionally, the Next Door Pediatrics Clinic, where her son was first tested for lead exposure, has since closed, creating a significant healthcare gap. She credits the clinic’s efforts for ensuring her youngest daughter remains lead-free.
Branch aims to destigmatize the experience of parents whose children suffer from lead poisoning, urging them to seek help without shame. I want them to know it’s not their fault, she said. We’re not receiving justice, and it’s a human right to have clean drinking water.