WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to high lead levels in the drinking water systems of Washington, D.C. and Boston U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords, I – Vt., today introduced legislation to overhaul and strengthen the federal rules governing lead testing and standards in the nation's public water systems.
Jeffords, the ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, was joined by U.S. Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D – MD, U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman, D – Cal., and Del, Eleanor Holmes Norton, D – DC, in introducing the "Lead-Free Drinking Water Act of 2004."
Jeffords said, "It is time to get the lead out of our pipes, out of our water, out of our families and out of our lives. Safe drinking water is not a privilege; it is a right – whether you live in Washington, D.C., or Washington State or Washington County, Vermont."
The bill would place new responsibilities on the Environmental Protection Agency and public water systems nationwide to ensure that our nation's public health is not compromised by lead in our drinking water.
In drinking water systems, lead is found in some service lines and pipes in distribution systems, in solder, and in plumbing fixtures. The EPA estimates that about 20% of lead exposure comes from lead in drinking water. Lead exposure is particularly dangerous for children who retain about 68% of the lead that enters their bodies while adults retain about 1%. Children exposed to lead may experience low birth weight, growth retardation, mental retardation, learning disabilities, muscle cramps, stomach cramps, anemia, and kidney and brain damage. Lead can also be particularly harmful during pregnancy, affecting the unborn child or causing complications in pregnancy.
The bill:
• Requires the EPA to revise the national primary drinking water regulations for lead in drinking water to ensure protection of vulnerable populations such as infants, children, pregnant women, and breast-feeding mothers;
• Requires better notification for residents when a water system has high lead levels;
• Requires increased water testing and lead remediation in schools and day-care centers nationwide;
• Provides more federal funding to upgrade water distribution systems;
• Bans leaded plumbing fixtures and components. Statement of Senator Jim Jeffords
Lead Free Drinking Water Act
May 4, 2004 I would like to thank Senator Sarbanes, Congresswoman Norton, Congressman Waxman and the other cosponsors for working with me to introduce this important legislation. I was horrified, as I imagine we all were, when it was first reported that lead levels in the D.C. public water system were significantly higher than federal guidelines, and had been so for at least two years. I asked myself the same thing thousands of D.C. residents were asking themselves – why weren't we told about this sooner? How much water did I drink? More importantly, how much water did my children drink? What are the effects of lead in their blood steam? What are we going to do about it? This is a pretty sad situation no matter where you live, but it's especially upsetting when you live in the Capitol of the free world. Clearly mistakes were made and changes are needed -- because if it can happen in Washington, D.C. or Boston it can happen anywhere. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, of which I am the ranking member, held a hearing on this issue last month, and we heard some pretty compelling testimony from D.C. residents, health experts, risk management professionals and government officials. But we are going to do more than just hold hearings; today we are introducing the Lead-Free Drinking Water Act of 2004. Our bill will overhaul the Safe Drinking Water Act to strengthen the federal rules governing lead testing and standards in our public water systems to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens – infants, children, pregnant women, and new moms – are not harmed by lead in drinking water. Specifically, the bill requires the EPA to re-evaluate the current regulatory structure to figure out if it really provides the level of public health protection required. The bill will require better notification for residents when a water system has high lead levels. It requires information such as the number of homes tested, the lead levels found, the areas of the community in which they were located, the disproportionate adverse health effects of lead on infants, be made public immediately upon detection. It requires increased water testing and lead remediation in schools and day-care centers nationwide. And it provides more federal funding to upgrade water distribution systems. The EPA estimates that our nation needs $265 billion to maintain and improve its drinking water infrastructure over the next twenty years. If we don't address this, we'll be facing more and more health and environmental issues as our nation's water infrastructure degrades. Lead service lines are only one part of the picture. Leaded solder was banned in 1987. However, "lead-free" plumbing fixtures are currently allowed to have eight percent lead. Our bill bans leaded plumbing fixtures and components. It is time to get the lead out of our pipes, out of our water, out of our families and out of our lives. Safe drinking water is not a privilege; it is a right – whether you live in Washington, D.C., or Washington State or Washington County, Vermont. We hope to move this bill this year. My Committee is scheduled to consider water infrastructure legislation later this month, and I think the "Lead Free Drinking Water Act of 2004" would be an important addition to that bill. Thank you.
• Requires better notification for residents when a water system has high lead levels;
• Requires increased water testing and lead remediation in schools and day-care centers nationwide;
• Provides more federal funding to upgrade water distribution systems;
• Bans leaded plumbing fixtures and components. Statement of Senator Jim Jeffords
Lead Free Drinking Water Act
May 4, 2004 I would like to thank Senator Sarbanes, Congresswoman Norton, Congressman Waxman and the other cosponsors for working with me to introduce this important legislation. I was horrified, as I imagine we all were, when it was first reported that lead levels in the D.C. public water system were significantly higher than federal guidelines, and had been so for at least two years. I asked myself the same thing thousands of D.C. residents were asking themselves – why weren't we told about this sooner? How much water did I drink? More importantly, how much water did my children drink? What are the effects of lead in their blood steam? What are we going to do about it? This is a pretty sad situation no matter where you live, but it's especially upsetting when you live in the Capitol of the free world. Clearly mistakes were made and changes are needed -- because if it can happen in Washington, D.C. or Boston it can happen anywhere. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, of which I am the ranking member, held a hearing on this issue last month, and we heard some pretty compelling testimony from D.C. residents, health experts, risk management professionals and government officials. But we are going to do more than just hold hearings; today we are introducing the Lead-Free Drinking Water Act of 2004. Our bill will overhaul the Safe Drinking Water Act to strengthen the federal rules governing lead testing and standards in our public water systems to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens – infants, children, pregnant women, and new moms – are not harmed by lead in drinking water. Specifically, the bill requires the EPA to re-evaluate the current regulatory structure to figure out if it really provides the level of public health protection required. The bill will require better notification for residents when a water system has high lead levels. It requires information such as the number of homes tested, the lead levels found, the areas of the community in which they were located, the disproportionate adverse health effects of lead on infants, be made public immediately upon detection. It requires increased water testing and lead remediation in schools and day-care centers nationwide. And it provides more federal funding to upgrade water distribution systems. The EPA estimates that our nation needs $265 billion to maintain and improve its drinking water infrastructure over the next twenty years. If we don't address this, we'll be facing more and more health and environmental issues as our nation's water infrastructure degrades. Lead service lines are only one part of the picture. Leaded solder was banned in 1987. However, "lead-free" plumbing fixtures are currently allowed to have eight percent lead. Our bill bans leaded plumbing fixtures and components. It is time to get the lead out of our pipes, out of our water, out of our families and out of our lives. Safe drinking water is not a privilege; it is a right – whether you live in Washington, D.C., or Washington State or Washington County, Vermont. We hope to move this bill this year. My Committee is scheduled to consider water infrastructure legislation later this month, and I think the "Lead Free Drinking Water Act of 2004" would be an important addition to that bill. Thank you.