Trump Lead Pipe Rule to Take Effect While Biden Drafts Update

President Joe Biden will let a Trump administration rule cutting the percentage of lead pipes that need to be replaced annually take effect Thursday, as environmental regulators craft a new rule governing toxic metal in drinking water, a senior Biden environmental official said.

Officials will revise the standard, known as the lead and copper rule, by 2024, said a senior Environmental Protection Agency official granted anonymity to speak about the agency’s plan. In the meantime, the EPA will issue new guidance on implementation of the Trump-era rule, she said. The guidance will detail how drinking water systems will need ...