United States: A notable example that was popular and covered by media outlets in 2015 was the one that explained that the water in Flint, Michigan, was laced with lead.
Flint decided to switch from using water from Lake Huron to that of the Flint River a year prior, which caused the water to react with the pipes, specifically the lead pipes, therefore causing lead to enter the system and water supplied to thousands of residents; in the process, the lives of many inhabitants were put in danger.
The outcome of all this was a human health crisis that residents are paying for even today. And Flint was only the tip of the iceberg.
The EPA approximates that 9.2 million lines through which service delivers drinking water to homes and business premises in the United States are made of lead, as theconversation.com reported.
For the federal government, replacement of these lead pipes is important and recognizes it by offering a number of programs like 2021 Infrastructure Law that promised USD 15 billion in five years for lead pipe replacement.
The EPA is suggesting that all lead pipes across the US must be replaced within one decade. The agency has not addressed what lead needs to be replaced at all.
The field focuses on water policy and water chemistry, specifically the role of plastic and new chemical substances, and water justice. We see concerns about a popular replacement material for lead pipes: The second type of object they use is plastic, as theconversation.com reported.
Traditionally, lead pipes have been mostly installed in large cities with many low-income residents. New federal funding will fund less than one-fifth of the cost of replacing a known lead pipe in Great Lakes areas only, as seven out of the ten leading US states in terms of lead service lines are the Great Lakes states. This can also lead to the establishment of new environmental health risks that these cities could be oblivious to.
Problem with lead pipes in detail
Some people even died of lead poisoning, and there is no level that has been deemed safe when it comes to lead exposure.
In children lead exposure poses many health risks to the organs and the head, and this leads to reduced intelligence, conducts disorders and learning difficulties.
Adults are also vulnerable. Lead exposure can be as bad as leading to kidney ailments and high blood pressure even if the lead level is low. A recent study evaluated that 170 million adults of United State were suffering from high level of lead in their childhood.