the Biden-Harris administration issued a final rule requiring drinking water systems across the country to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years. EPA estimates that up to 9 million homes are served through legacy lead pipes across the country, many of which are located in lower-income communities and communities of color, creating disproportionate lead exposure burden for these families. A recent study in the journal JAMA Pediatrics found more than two-thirds of children 6 years old and younger in Chicago have been exposed to lead-contaminated drinking water. Lead is a potent neurotoxin and there is no safe level of lead exposure, particularly for children. In children, lead can severely harm mental and physical development, slow down learning, and irreversibly damage the brain. In adults, lead can cause increased blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function, and cancer.
— source epa.gov | Oct 8, 2024