Biden unveils $3 billion for nationwide lead pipe replacement

President Joe Biden announced Thursday $3 billion toward identifying and replacing the nation’s unsafe lead pipes, a long-sought move to improve public health and clean drinking water that will be paid for by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

President Joe Biden announced Thursday $3 billion toward identifying and replacing the nation’s unsafe lead pipes, a long-sought move to improve public health and clean drinking water that will be paid for by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Biden unveiled the new funding in North Carolina, a battleground state Democrats have lost to Donald Trump in the past two presidential elections but are feeling more bullish toward due to an abortion measure on the state’s ballot this November. “These lead lines are tough, durable, and they don’t rust,” Biden said while delivering remarks in Wilmington. “But we’ve long since learned they leach poisonous toxins into our water.” “The science is clear,” the president added, “lead service lines pose severe health risks, damaging brains and kidneys. In children especially, they stunt growth, slow learning, and cause lasting brain damage. But we know we can stop it. We know how to do it.” The Environmental Protection Agency will invest $3 billion in the lead pipe effort annually through 2026, Administrator Michael Regan told reporters. He said that nearly 50% of the funding will go to disadvantaged communities – and a fact sheet from the Biden administration noted that “lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families.” The three years of funding is expected to affect up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, the fact sheet said.