Removing lead pipes from a West Chester home

WEST CHESTER — Get the lead out!

Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency joined leaders from Aqua Pennsylvania and federal, state and local officials to discuss the importance of taking action against lead, specifically with regards to identifying and removing lead and galvanized service water lines, while protecting public health and the federal investment.

Stakeholders and public officials watched as a copper line replaced a lead drinking water line in front of a home on Magnolia Street, on Tuesday afternoon.

Adam Ortiz, EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator was pleased with the water line changes. Lead pipes were banned 40 years ago.

"We can't go forward unless we go back and clean up a legacy," he said, about now being able to safely drink from the tap.

U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan talked about a mandate in the Pennsylvania Constitution that guarantees clean air and water.

"This makes differences in the lives of people who drink the water and breathe the air," Houlahan said.

State Rep. Carolyn Comitta watched the pipe get changed out.

"When you bring the community together...you do amazing things," she said.

State Rep. Chris Pielli said he was "over the moon" with the progress and the work was long overdue.

Mayor Lillian DeBaptiste talked about walking along Magnolia Street, one of the borough's oldest thoroughfares, as a child.

"It's what we need," she said, about the change-over "It's important that we do the right thing."

Marc Lucca, president of AQUA Pennsylvania, Inc., said that the work in West Chester is just the beginning of a multi-year project.

"This is an exciting and crucial moment for all of us," he said.

Rebecca Hayden of PENNVEST was pleased to team with AQUA.

Officials gathered to celebrate over $4 million being invested by AQUA throughout parts of Chester County. The loan, administered by PENNVEST, is from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund which has received substantial funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

"The Biden-Harris Administration believes that any risk from lead in drinking water is unacceptable, which is why we are taking a whole-of-government approach to get the lead out of our communities," said Ortiz, EPA's Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator. "With each dollar invested, each home surveyed and each pipe replaced, we're one step closer to removing all lead pipes within the next ten years."

"We're proud to be at the forefront of this game-changing project for our customers and we remain committed to using our expertise to get the Lead out across Pennsylvania," Lucca said. "This important work proves we're always ready and willing to take the extra step to protect our customers.

"Despite their installation being banned nearly 40 years ago, there are still an estimated 9.2 million legacy lead service lines delivering water in cities and towns across the country, many of which are in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color," According to an EPA release. "The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering $15 billion across the country to remove these lead pipes, in line with President Biden's goal of removing 100% of lead service lines."

Earlier this month, the EPA issued Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, which establishes achievable, common-sense practices to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years. The public health and economic benefits of the final rule are estimated to be up to 13 times greater than the costs, and together with new funding, water systems will be able to accelerate removal of lead pipes and create good-paying local jobs in the process.

There are more than nine million lead service lines nationwide, including about 689,000 in Pennsylvania.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, championed by President Biden and Vice President Harris, included $15 billion to replace lead services and an additional $11.7 billion that can be used for both drinking water projects and lead pipe replacement.

There is no safe level of lead exposure.

In adults, it can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function, and cancer.

In children, it can severely damage mental and physical development, slow down learning, harm the brain, and lead to long-term impacts.

Lead exposure can also impact pregnancies, increasing the risk of low birthweights or even miscarriage.

The EPA rule that requires drinking water systems nationwide to replace lead service lines within 10 years will prevent up to an estimated to 900,000 infants from being born with low birthweight, stop up to 200,000 IQ points lost in children, and reduce up to 1,500 cases of premature death from heart disease.

Since President Biden took office, over 367,000 lead pipes have been replaced nationwide, benefitting 918,000 people.