Lead pipes that deliver drinking water are a major health threat

Everyone deserves the right to safe drinking water.

Yet tens of millions of people living in the United States still get their water through lead pipes called service lines that connect people’s homes and other buildings to the drinking water main in the street, according to Environmental Protection Agency estimates.  

Lead is toxic. It can cause reproductive issues, low birth weight, high blood pressure, kidney problems and developmental delays in children’s brains. In the United States, it’s estimated that about 250,000 people die prematurely from cardiovascular disease attributed to lead every year. 

Let’s remove lead pipes, for good

Lead pipes — along with lead in old paint and other consumer products — are among household threats that people should look out for today.

Corrosion control can help manage the risk of lead in water, but the only effective long-term fix is replacing millions of lead pipes. Unfortunately, property owners usually have to foot the bill for replacing the pipes on their land. This can be really expensive for some families, putting replacement out of reach.  

It’s up to water utilities, public health officials, and environmental and consumer organizations to advocate for and drive lead service line removal in a way that ensures everyone can participate, and not just those who can afford it on their own.

In recent years, we’ve seen progress on multiple fronts, from $15 billion in new federal funding for lead pipe replacement to stronger EPA policies that require utilities to remove lead pipes across the nation. EDF advocated for both, and there’s still more work to do.

Since 2016, EDF has been working with 28 other national organizations through the Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative to accelerate lead service line replacement across the country. We’ve also mapped where communities large and small have launched programs to replace lead service lines. 

Learn about lead pipe replacement programs across the United States

Understanding the dangers of lead

Too often, parents first learn about lead hazards at home when the doctor tells them that their child has lead in their blood. Here are steps we can take to protect loved ones and raise awareness about the threat that lead poses:

• People can protect themselves and their families by contacting local water utilities to have their water tested and learn whether their pipes are connected to a lead service line. They can also take steps inside their homes to reduce lead exposure, including using a water filter certified to remove lead, cleaning faucet attachments called aerators, using cold water when cooking or drinking, and running the tap to flush pipes and reduce any lead that may have settled.
   
• Doctors and health, housing and education officials need to understand the risks and raise awareness in their communities. Health care providers can conduct blood tests to detect lead exposure as a regular part of children’s care routine. When communicating with families, talking about all lead hazards together is important — discussing lead paint, but not pipes, or vice versa, is a wasted opportunity and can be misleading. Information about lead hazards must be integrated so families and professionals understand the entire scope of the threat.
   
• Lead hazards should be disclosed early and clearly. Most states lack laws requiring disclosure of information about lead pipes to prospective homeowners and renters so they can factor replacement costs into their decisions. Even when such information is required, it’s often unclear. When people buy or rent a home, they need to be told clearly and definitively about lead in paint, dust, soil and water in their home. 

Decades of action against lead

EDF has advocated for the removal of lead from gasoline, residential paint, water and consumer products in the United States for decades.  

In many cases, removal requires years of persistent, bipartisan work alongside fellow advocates, attorneys, scientists, regulators and companies. Hard-won victories show that change is possible — if we work together.