NEWS NOTES ON SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES GAO and Drinking Water http://www.gao.gov/assets/690/686908.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery ; Government Accountability Office, Report to Congressional Requestors , Additional Data and Statistical Analysis May Enhance EPA’s Oversight of the Lead and Copper Rule, GAO-17-424. Drinking water contaminated with lead in Flint, Michigan, renewed awareness of the danger lead poses to the nation’s drinking water supply. Available Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data, reported by states, show that of the approximately 68,000 drinking water systems subject to the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR), at least 10 percent had at least one open violation of the rule; however these and other data are not complete. When the LCR was promulgated in 1991, all water systems were required to collect information about the infrastructure delivering water to customers, including lead pipes. GAO was asked to review the issue of elevated lead in drinking water. Among other objectives, this report examines: (1) what available EPA data show about LCR compliance among water systems and (2) factors that may contribute to LCR noncompliance. GAO analyzed EPA data on violations and enforcement of the LCR from July 1, 2011, through December 31, 2016, interviewed EPA officials in headquarters and the 10 regional offices; conducted a statistical analysis of the likelihood of reported LCR violations; and held discussion groups with a nonprobability sample of regulators representing 41 states. GAO is making three recommendations, including for EPA to require states to report data on lead pipes and develop a statistical analysis on the likelihood of LCR violations to supplement its current oversight. EPA agreed with GAO’s recommendations. This report will also be linked on the 2017 Reports and Publications Page of the Sustainable Water Resources Site at https://sites.google.com/site/sustainablewaterresources/ ">https://sites.google.com/site/sustainablewaterresources/ ; Tim SmithSustainable Water Resources CoordinatorGovernment Web Site, https://acwi.gov/Sustainable Water Resources Site, https://sites.google.com/site/sustainablewaterresources/ ">https://sites.google.com/site/sustainablewaterresources/ ;