For informational purposes and/or media only v>EPA Hometown, USA Understanding How the New Lead and Copper Rule Reduces Lead in Your Community EPA's new Lead and Copper Rule requires water systems to remove more lead service lines— a root source of lead in drinking water—than the previous rule. The below illustrates how the new rule compels actions sooner, removes lines faster and requires actions that better identify sources of lead. Estimated Population: 1 0/000 — 50/000 Number of Schools and Childcares in the Town: 30-140 Number of Homes in the Town: 3,200 -13,500 10 Number of Homes with Lead Service Lines: 1,200-1,500 New Rule Old Rule % of Schools and Childcares required to be tested for lead 20% every year 0% % of Lead Service Lines that will be fully inventoried 100% 0% If the Trigger Level of 10 ppb is exceeded % of lines that are required to be fully replaced annually Goal Set by State and System 0% If the Action Level of 15 ppb is exceeded % of lines that are required to be fully replaced annually 3% 0% Allows partial replacements and test outs Number of LSL that will actually be replaced each year Population: 10,000 36 0-17 Population: 50,000 45 0-21 Most systems above the AL did not start LSLR programs and those that did, often did not achieve 7% actual replacement in any year due to test-outs; the program could stop after 1 year of samples below 15 ppb. Length of time system can delay removing LSL 0 months System must already be prepared and have plans in place to start right away. 48 months Systems may delay while preparing and may stop completely if lead levels go below 15 ppb for one year. Studies could result in even more delays. The system may never replace a LSL. Assumes that there are no state requirements beyond the Federal LCR that apply to Hometown, USA. For more information visit: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking- water/final-revisions-lead-and-copper-rule ------- |