Franklin County Freep, Pennsylvania Faces Widespread Lead Pipe Crisis Despite Increased Funding
Pennsylvania is grappling with a significant lead pipe issue, ranking among the states with the most lead water service lines. Cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia alone report having 29,000 and 25,000 lead pipes, respectively, though experts believe the problem is even larger due to a lack of comprehensive data.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) estimates that more than 660,000 service lines in Pennsylvania contain lead. A report by NRDC highlights that many U.S. cities, both large and small, continue to have residents using lead pipes for their drinking water, often without knowing the materials used in their service lines.
All drinking water, and all plumbing systems have lead. The only question is how much.
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The lead piping is the service lines connecting the house or business to the water main in the street. The service lines lie mostly on private property, and they are the property owners responsibility to maintain and replace. Most internal piping is copper joined with lead/tin solder.
ReplyDeleteSince nearly none of these lead sources will ever be replaced, some time ago the US EPA issued the lead-copper rule, which requires water utilities to adjust the water chemistry so that it lays down a protective calcium carbonate layer that covers over the lead.