Senator Baldwin Supports New Initiative to Accelerate Lead Pipe Removal in Wisconsin

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) applauded an announcement Friday that Wisconsin will receive support to accelerate lead pipe removal through a new program that will help communities access their fair share of federal funds for clean drinking water under the Baldwin-supported Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Biden-Harris Administration’s “Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators” will provide targeted technical assistance services to help underserved communities access funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for replacing lead pipes that pose risks to the health of children and families. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and four state partners—Wisconsin, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania—will work with 40 communities in 2023 to address existing barriers and accelerate progress towards Lead Service Line identification and replacement.

 “No amount of lead is safe in drinking water, especially for children. I voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law because it is making long overdue investments in our state’s drinking water infrastructure, with an emphasis on investing in communities that for too long have been left behind,” said Senator Baldwin. “This collaboration will help Wisconsin communities access the resources I brought home to accelerate lead service line removal and ensure every Wisconsinite has access to safe drinking water.”

“Every Wisconsinite deserves access to safe, clean drinking water. We’ve been working to address the lead crisis and other water quality issues affecting our state since Day One of my administration—from declaring 2019 the Year of Clean Drinking Water to our ongoing work with the EPA to replace lead service lines across our state,” said Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. “The Biden Administration and the EPA have been critical partners in these efforts. I look forward to continuing our work together to ensure Wisconsinites can trust the water coming from their taps.”

Through the Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators, the EPA will provide hands-on support to guide communities through the process of lead service line removals from start to finish. This will include support in developing lead service line replacement plans, conducting inventories to identify lead pipes, increasing community outreach and education efforts, and supporting applications for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. As a result, more communities will be able to access their fair share of federal funds to secure a lead-free drinking water.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Baldwin supported, will invest a total of $50 billion in the nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure, including $15 billion dedicated to lead service line replacement and $11.7 billion of general Drinking Water State Revolving Funds that can also be used for lead service line replacement.

A one-pager on Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators can be found here.

An online version of this release is available here.