Lead and Copper Rule Long-Term Revisions

Overview

Lead exposure occurs through many pathways, including soil, dust, food, and drinking water. Through a series of policies – including the phase-outs of lead in gasoline and paint – the U.S. has made major progress in reducing lead exposure and childhood blood lead levels over the past several decades. Although the LCR has resulted in substantial reductions in lead in drinking water, there is a compelling need to strengthen its public health protections and clarify its implementation requirements.

Revisions Being Considered

The Lead and Copper Rule Revisions White Paper provides examples of regulatory options to improve the existing rule. The paper highlights key challenges, opportunities, and analytical issues presented by these options. Options include lead service line replacement, improving optimal corrosion control treatment requirements, consideration of a health-based benchmark, the potential role of point-of-use filters, clarifications or strengthening of tap sampling requirements, increased transparency, and public education requirements

Read more about the current Lead and Copper Rule.
BLOG: Examining Options to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water by Joel Beauvais

Lead Modeling Peer Review

As a part of EPA’s ongoing effort to understand and assess lead exposure to children, EPA is initiating a peer review of draft scientific modeling approaches to inform EPA’s evaluation of potential health-based benchmarks for lead in drinking water. Read more.

Stakeholder Consultations

To help shape an updated Lead and Copper Rule, EPA has engaged with multiple stakeholders representing a wide range of expertise.

National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC) Lead and Copper Rule Working Group

The NDWAC Lead and Copper Rule Working Group was convened beginning in March 2014 to provide advice to EPA in addressing the five issues listed below:

Sample site selection criteria;
Lead sampling protocols;
Public education for copper;
Measures to ensure optimal corrosion control treatment; and
Lead service line replacement.

NDWAC Recommendations to the Administrator for the Long Term Revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) and Past Meeting Summaries

Science Advisory Board Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Partial Lead Service Line Replacements

EPA’s Office of Water requested the Science Advisory Board (SAB) evaluate the current scientific data to determine the effectiveness of partial lead service line replacements (PLSLR) in reducing drinking water lead levels. The SAB convened the Drinking Water Committee Augmented for the Review of the Effectiveness of Partial Lead Service Line Replacements to study the issues and report their findings and conclusions. The charge to the SAB was centered around five issues including:

Associations between PLSLR and blood lead levels in children;
Water sampling data at the tap before and after PLSLR;
Comparisons between partial and full lead service line replacements;
PLSLR techniques; and
The impact of galvanic corrosion.

Read the SAB's September 2011 report and recommendations

Stakeholder Meeting Concerning Potential Long-Term Revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule

EPA held a public meeting on November 4, 2010 to discuss potential Long-Term Revisions to the LCR. The meeting was held to obtain stakeholder feedback about key issues and options to address the issues.

Tribal Consultations

Revisions to the LCR may impact tribes. EPA consulted via teleconference with Indian Tribes on the proposed LCR revisions in 2011. Additional details and background information regarding this consultation can be found in the Tribal Notification Letter.

Read the Tribal Notification Letter

Environmental Justice

Because LCR revisions may have environmental justice impacts, in 2011 EPA held a public meeting to discuss environmental justice considerations.

Federal Register Notice: Notice of a Public Meeting: Environmental Justice Considerations for Drinking Water Regulatory Efforts - March 3, 2011