US EPA Initiates a Nationwide Reassessment of State Drinking Water Programs

EPA initiated a nationwide reassessment of state drinking water programs, including meeting with officials from every state drinking water program to make sure they’re addressing any high lead levels and fully enforcing the federal Lead and Copper Rule

Protection of public health is the absolute top priority for EPA. The drinking water crisis in Flint should not have happened, but while the spotlight is still on the issue of lead in drinking water, we have an opportunity to harness the resources and attention to make needed changes.

EPA recently sent letters to every governor and state environmental and health commissioner primarily responsible for enforcing drinking water rules, urging them to work with us — on infrastructure investments, technology, oversight and risk assessment, public engagement and education — to keep our drinking water safe.

We also initiated a nationwide reassessment of state drinking water programs, including meeting with officials from every state drinking water program to make sure they’re addressing any high lead levels and fully enforcing the federal Lead and Copper Rule.

EPA recognizes the need to strengthen the rule, and we’re working to improve its public health protections. We are considering recommendations from a diverse group of external advisers and stakeholders. Transparency among government, water utilities and the public is vital; EPA’s oversight role is as important as ever. We are also working to identify the best scientific approach to determine a level of lead in drinking water that public health officials could use to intervene to make sure that residents who could be at risk are made aware as soon as possible.

While we strengthen regulations, serious investments are needed over the next 20 years to maintain, upgrade and replace thousands of miles of service pipes and thousands of treatment plants, storage tanks and water distribution systems — all vital to public health and the economy. Our recent survey shows that $384 billion in improvements are needed for the nation’s drinking water infrastructure through 2030 so it can continue providing safe drinking water to 300 million Americans. The longer we wait, the more costly this will be.

Source: USA Today

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• Water Management
• Drinking Water
• Governance & Planning