The EPA is trying to crack down on lead pipes that bring water into homes. But a looming deadline — and the election — will determine if it follows a Biden plan to replace pipes or a Trump plan.
Ten years ago, Flint, Mich. switched water sources to the Flint River. The lack of corrosion control in the pipes caused lead to leach into the water supply of tens of thousands of residents. Pediatrician Mona Hanna-Attisha recognized a public health crisis in the making and gathered data proving the negative health impact on Flint's young children. In doing so, she and community organizers in Flint sparked a national conversation about lead in the U.S. water system that persists today.
Today on the show, host Emily Kwong and science correspondent Pien Huang talk about the state of Flint and other cities with lead pipes. Efforts to replace these pipes hinge on proposed changes to the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule.
Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!
Most cities would have to replace lead water pipes within 10 years under new rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency aimed to prevent like the ones in Flint, Mich. and Washington, D.C.
Health experts warn problems with these "underground poisonous straws" can strike suddenly, and states are getting cash to replace them. But no one knows how many lines exist or where they are.
The White House released an action plan to replace lead pipes and lead paint in the U.S. within the next decade. Lead contamination is known to have detrimental effects on the brain and kidneys.
