Puerto Rico to get $28.6M for lead pipe replacement
The EPA announces new funding to replace all lead pipes in the U.S. to safeguard public health.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a $28.6 million allocation to help Puerto Rico identify and replace lead service lines to prevent lead exposure in drinking water.
Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through the EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, the total funding announced through this program aims to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, ensuring clean drinking water for numerous families.
The Puerto Rico Department of Health will use these funds to advance the health protection objectives of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
This agreement provides funds to replace lead drinking water service lines and supports the planning, design and replacement of service lines owned by customers and the Puerto Rico Aqueducts & Sewer Authority, according to the federal agency.
The Department of Health will also use this funding to offer technical assistance to state program managers and administrators of small water systems.
“Every Puerto Rican family deserves safe drinking water when they turn on their tap, and this major injection of funding will further bolster the work to achieve that goal,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. García. “For too long, the urgent need to improve our drinking water systems has far outweighed the available funding. This crucial Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is helping close that gap.”
Puerto Rico’s resident commissioner in Washington, D.C., Jenniffer González-Colón, commented, “By replacing these outdated lines, we are improving water quality and protecting our communitie’’ well-being for generations to come.”
