Grants and forgivable loans totaling $3 billion are headed out across the U.S. for replacing old lead-based water pipes, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
To see how much your state will get in 2024, check out the EPA chart at the end of this story.
The money is from the $1.2 trillion infrastructure law enacted in 2021 and is designed to make drinking water safe. Lead pipes have been blamed on water contamination that can hinder children’s brain development.
The latest funding follows $6 billion in previous grants and forgivable loans, with the total amount expected to replace 1.7 million lead pipes. The goal is to replace every lead pipe in the country, as declared by President Joe Biden. That would entail replacing 9 million lead pipes nationwide, the EPA reports.
The infrastructure law calls for a total of $15 billion to be spent through 2026 for replacing lead pipes. About half is earmarked as grants and forgivable loans to “disadvantaged communities.”
“The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water,” the EPA said in its May 2 announcement.
Funding Highlights
Highlights of funding allocations include:
- West View Water Authority in Pennsylvania – $8 million to replace 750 lead service lines in underserved areas, primarily in Allegheny County.
- Tucson, Arizona – $6.95 million to develop lead service line inventories for nine public water systems and develop a plan to replace them.
- Kenosha, Wisconsin – accelerate the removal of 5,000 lead service lines by helping customers self-inventory their service line material and apply for federal funding to remove lead pipes.
- The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, located across western North Carolina –replacement funds to conduct service line inventories and prepare preliminary engineering reports for five of the public water systems on their land.
How Much Does Your State Get?
The formula and allotments are based on need – meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding, according to the EPA.
Here’s a breakdown of how much each state will get from the $3 billion in funding:
Note: BIL stands for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Another $135 million has been set aside for tribal water systems, EPA administrative costs and oversight, bringing the total to $3 billion.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
