Letter to the Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House - Push to Fund Removal of ALL Lead Lines in U.S. Drinking Water Systems

Letter

Dear Speaker Pelosi:

Thank you for your commitment to safeguard our public health and our environment by ensuring that every community has safe, clean drinking water. We respectfully ask that funding for full replacement of all lead service lines across the country as well as substantial water infrastructure investments be included in an infrastructure agreement at the earliest opportunity.

The science is clear on this issue, and the stakes are high. There is no safe level of lead, and the dangers are greatest for our children. Children experiencing lead exposure will likely suffer lifelong consequences. Sadly, despite the well-established dangers of lead, and numerous tragic examples showing lead service lines contaminating the water they carry, these components are still commonly found in water systems. EPA has estimated that up to 10 million of these lines are currently in use. These lines are found in every state and often disproportionately threaten low-income communities and communities of color.

The scope and gravity of this problem demands an immediate and comprehensive national response. President Biden's American Jobs Plan has called for $45 billion for lead service line replacements, and H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act, which recently passed the House, authorized $45 billion over 10 years for removal of these dangerous lines. Similarly, the fact sheet that accompanied the Senate's Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework stated the agreement would "eliminate the nation's lead service lines and pipes." This funding must be designed to provide for full replacement of all lead lines, prioritize low-income communities, and prohibit dangerous partial replacements. Such a push to replace lead service lines, along with additional substantial water infrastructure investments, will not only safeguard our health and our environment, it will also provide family-sustaining jobs now while reducing exposure to lead for generations into the future.

We serve geographically, economically, and culturally diverse districts, but we share a sense of duty to care for and protect our constituents from preventable tragedies and known health hazards. Lead service line replacement is a top infrastructure, environmental, and equity priority and must be included in any infrastructure legislation considered for House passage. As you continue to lead efforts to enact funding that invests in our nation's infrastructure, we respectfully ask that $45 billion be included and fully funded to remove lead service lines.

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