Right now, millions of families across the country drink water delivered by toxic lead pipes. Lead-in-water crises like that in Flint, MI continue to sicken families years after they were uncovered. A rule was finalized last year to finally address this, but Republican lawmakers are working fast to roll it back and keep millions of lead pipes in the ground.
In October 2024, the Biden administration finalized Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, a major update to the lead-in-water rule to require most drinking water systems to replace their lead pipes within a decade. The Lead Out of Water rule was a massive victory in protecting public health against this neurotoxin, which is especially dangerous for children.
But Republican lawmakers claim that lead pipe replacements are too expensive. In January, they introduced H.J. Res 18 in Congress to roll back the Lead Out of Water rule. This measure could be reintroduced any day and move quickly to revoke the historic regulation.
