EPA Finalizes Mass Lead Drinking Water Pipe Replacement Plan (1)

Most drinking water systems have until 2037 to replace all their lead water pipes under a final rule published Tuesday.

The Environmental Protection Agency finalized its Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, or LCRI, regulation that replaces a Trump-era rule and increases the pace of lead service line replacement from about 3% annually to 10% annually over 10 years beginning in 2027. The EPA estimates that up to 9 million lead pipes still serve homes nationwide.

The effort to find and replace lead pipes has been a key issue for policymakers. A senior White House official said Monday that President ...