Dear John,

For young children, even the smallest amount of lead can cause permanent health harm over time. Yet today, more than 9 million homes across the country still get their water through a lead pipe. The only permanent solution is to replace these pipes.

A key barrier for many communities — even those already taking action — is funding replacement, particularly because residents are typically required to pay for part of the work, if they want the pipe replaced. This poses major equity concerns, as residents who can’t afford replacement will continue to be exposed to lead in their water.   

Fully replacing all the lead pipe across the country would not only protect us, it would yield hundreds of billions of dollars in benefits.

This is the kind of spark our economy needs. Will you join us in demanding Congress invest in a better future by funding replacement of these dangerous pipes?

Full replacement of the remaining lead service lines in the U.S. would more than pay for itself by yielding more than $205 billion in societal benefits in reduced deaths from heart disease. 

That’s a 450% return on investment on top of the benefits of protecting children’s brain development. And that’s not the only benefit: 
 

• It would permanently improve infrastructure. Full lead service line replacement would facilitate critical upgrades to our aging water distribution systems.
   
• It would address equity concerns in pipe replacement. Because lead exposure from multiple sources is most prevalent among low-income families and people of color, reducing exposure in these homes is a priority. Funding would remove barriers to action such as lower income, lack of access to capital and lack of landlord buy-in for rental properties.
   
• And it would create much-needed jobs when we come out on the other side of this crisis. This is shovel-ready work that puts construction and plumbing crews on the payroll. Utilities already know where many lead services lines are, and could get started quickly. 

Take action today, and tell Congress: We need to fund lead pipe replacement.

Thank you for standing with us,

Wes Rogerson
Manager, Grassroots Organizing & Activism