Feb. 12 Deadline to Comment on Proposed Lead and Copper Rule

The public has until Feb. 12 to comment on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed new Lead and Copper Rule.

The goal of the proposed new rule is to reduce lead and copper in drinking water, including steps to target most at-risk communities. The public can leave their comments here.

Click here for more information from the EPA about the proposed rule, which focuses on six areas:

• Requiring water systems to prepare and update publicly-available inventory of lead service lines and requiring water systems to “find-and-fix” sources of lead when a sample in a home exceeds 15 parts per billion (ppb)
• Requiring corrosion control treatment based on tap sampling results and establishing a new trigger level of 10 ppb
• Requiring water systems to replace water system-owned portion of an LSL when a customer chooses to replace their portion of the line
• Requiring water systems to follow new, improved sampling procedures and adjust sampling sites to better target locations with higher lead levels
• Requiring water systems to notify customers within 24 hours if a sample collected in their home is above 15 ppb. Water systems will also be required to conduct regular outreach to homeowners with LSLs
• Requiring water systems to take drinking water samples from the schools and child-care facilities they serve

Click here for a complete breakdown of each key area.

For the proposed rule change, the EPA received input from the Science Advisory Board, the National Drinking Water Advisory Council and more.