The Environmental Protection Agency announced in early August that it would defend the Biden administration’s aggressive rule for reducing lead in drinking water against a court challenge brought by a water utility association.
There are roughly 9 million lead pipes providing water to homes and businesses in the United States. The rule gave cities and towns a 10-year deadline to replace all of their lead pipes and was the strongest overhaul of lead-in-water standards in roughly three decades. Litigation against the rule had been paused so the Trump administration could decide whether it supported the policy.
Despite the agency’s decision to defend the rule, some public health advocates worry officials could still weaken the rule. They would like to know what the EPA means with terms like “practical implementation flexibility.” Is the EPA going to try to finesse such language to create loopholes that would allow water systems to not fully comply with the rule, or will they actually proceed with full implementation?
That remains to be seen but it is worth remembering that in March, the EPA announced plans to partially roll back rules to reduce PFAS, so-called “forever chemicals” in drinking water — the other major Biden-era tap water protection
National Primary Drinking Water Regulation Crosswalk – Control of Lead and Copper
Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) Primacy Support Documents