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Convening Identifies Key Resources for Communities Replacing Lead Service Lines
Abstract: Communities across the United States are beginning to map and replace lead service lines (LSLs) to comply with new state and federal safe drinking water policies aimed at reducing the risk of lead exposure through drinking water.1 The states in the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Seventh District—Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin—are estimated to have over 2 million lead pipes, according to a September 2023 report to Congress by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Water; Illinois and Wisconsin rank among the top ten states with the most lead pipes, and Michigan and Indiana among the top 15 (see exhibit 2.8 of that report). Replacing the millions of lead pipes in our region will be expensive and complex.2 Total costs for each community will differ depending on factors such as the number of LSLs, but lead service line replacement (LSLR) will be a significant financial undertaking for most communities, as shown in that same September 2023 report from the EPA’s Office of Water (see, e.g., exhibit 1.4). The expense and complexity may be particularly daunting for communities with limited staff and financial resources.
JEL Classification: H51; H54; H74; H75; R11;
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Provider: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Publication Date: 2024-06