EPA Releases Final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements

On Tuesday, October 8th, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a final version of the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) that requires drinking water systems to replace all of their lead pipes within ten years. Several key changes were made from the proposed rule in late 2023 to the final rule. The final rule lowered the threshold, or the level of lead at which water systems must take action to eliminate lead, by 33% from 15 μg/L to 10 μg/L. Additionally, the final rule set more rigorous water testing standards, including requiring the collection of first-liter and fifth-liter samples at lead service lines. Finally, large systems that have over 100,000 lead service lines have less time than initially proposed to replace their service lines.

In its release of the rule, the EPA emphasized that there is no safe level of lead consumption and that lead is especially harmful to children. The EPA estimates that the annual benefits of this rule will exceed the annual costs by at least ten-fold. While there is Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding available, concerns still exist about the feasibility of paying to replace millions of miles of lead pipes on a short timeline.