Lead & Copper Rule Revisions to Include Service Line Inventories & Ban on Partial Replacements
According to a recent article from Bloomberg Environment, EPA’s impending longterm Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) revisions will “essentially ban partial lead pipe replacement, in which part of a lead pipe is removed but another part is allowed to remain.” This change in the rule may mean that water systems would need permission from property owners to replace lead service lines on private property before replacing the publicly owned line.
The article also confirms the LCR update will include a requirement for water systems to conduct lead service line surveys and inventories but will not mandate lead service line removal, as a water system could decide to use a pipe lining system for lead service lines as opposed to replacement.
EPA’s LCR revisions were submitted to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for interagency review and is expected to be publicly released in the coming months.
