‘Classic Junk Science’: New Biden-Harris Lead Pipe Rule Could Bring $90 Billion Price Tag For American Ratepayers

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule Tuesday that requires the replacement of every lead water pipe in the country, potentially placing $90 billion of costs on U.S. utility ratepayers.

The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) decision mandates that drinking water systems across the country remove and replace every lead pipe within the next decade, marking a key step in President Joe Biden’s push to remove lead from American households. A November 2023 estimate found the initiative could cost as much as $30 billion for utility companies to implement, but the American Water Works Association (AWWA) said it could cost as much as $90 billion, with the expense likely to be passed on to ratepayers.

“We are concerned that most, if not all, regulated systems will not have the resources needed to meet EPA’s ambitious timeline for lead service line removals,” AWWA wrote in comments to the EPA regarding the rule back in February. “We are also concerned with the potential impacts on households that cannot afford higher water bills, as increased compliance costs are directly passed on to customers in many cases.”