Monday, December 28, 2020
On December 22, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) finalized long-anticipated revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule the first major revision since the rule was promulgated in 1991. While the final rule maintains the current lead “action level” of 15 parts per billion (“ppb”) and “maximum contaminant level” goal of zero, it also includes a variety of other revisions that will significantly impact water systems across the nation.
Enhanced Focus on Identifying and Addressing Homes with Lead Service Lines
A major driver behind EPA’s effort to revise the Lead and Copper rule has been identifying and remediating high-risk homes, and in particular, those served with a lead service line (“LSL”). EPA’s final rule thus requires all water systems prepare, and update, LSL inventories. EPA also introduces a requirement to “find and fix” sources of lead in any individual home where a test demonstrates lead levels in