Environmental Justice Tracker

EJ Tracker Update

EPA Proposed Revisions to Lead and Copper Drinking Water Regulations

Last updated:

February 5, 2024

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Proposed Rule

EPA proposed a revision to the national primary drinking water regulations for lead and copper, which would replace all lead drinking water pipes in the US within 10 years. Specifically, the proposal would replace a Trump-era rule that required water utilities to replace at least 3% of their lead service lines per year, increasing that rate to 10% per year. The proposed rule would also decrease the lead exceedance level from 15 micrograms per liter (ug/L) to 10 ug/L. Plans to revise the rule were announced in 2022 in a court filing before the DC Circuit in litigation over the Trump administration’s revised lead and copper rule. Comments on the proposal were due by Feb. 5, 2024. Read EELP’s analysis of the lead and copper rule.