EPA Reports: “More Than 9 Million Lead Pipes Supplying Drinking Water Throughout The U.S.”
On Tuesday April 4, 2023, The Environmental Protection Agency published a startling document regarding the findings from the 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) in 2021. This survey was conducted in order to identify infrastructure projects needed over the next 20 years for water systems to continue providing safe drinking water to the public. What was found was shocking.
Millions More Affected By Lead Pipes Than Previously Thought
It was previously estimated that there were around 7.3 million lead service lines (LSLs) in the United States, but the recent survey now puts that number at a staggering 9.2 million, affecting considerably more people than previously believed. Although every state has varying numbers of these lead service lines, with Alaska notably being the lowest at 1,454, Florida and Illinois alone account for over 2 million LSLs, both actively providing drinking water to their residents via over a million LSLs each.
The survey consisted of 3,629 public water systems in all 60 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia as well as other U.S territories and included questions pertaining to lead service lines. Read the full press report here.
States With The Most Lead Service Lines, Ranked
52) Alaska: 1,454
51) Oregon: 3,530
50) South Dakota: 4,141
49) Vermont: 5,263
48) Nevada: 9,048
47) Hawaii: 9,589
46) Wyoming: 10,477
45) Mississippi: 11,098
44) Arizona: 11,429
43) California: 13,476
42) Montana: 14,125
41) Utah: 14,293
40) New Hampshire: 14,819
39) New Mexico: 15,453
38) Maine: 18,057
37) West Virginia: 20,259
36) Washington: 22,030
35) North Dakota: 26,443
34) District of Columbia: 27,058
33) Oklahoma: 28,679
32) Kentucky: 40,207
31) Delaware: 42,479
30) Georgia: 45,985
29) Idaho: 49,434
28) Puerto Rico: 51,490
27) Nebraska: 53,230
26) Kansas: 54,107
25) Maryland: 71,166
24) Rhode Island: 75,749
23) Alabama: 91,544
22) Iowa: 96,436
21) South Carolina: 108,177
20) Colorado: 111,907
19) Massachusetts: 117,090
18) Minnesota: 136,873
17) Connecticut: 146,574
16) Arkansas: 171,771
15) Virginia: 187,883
14) Missouri: 202,112
13) Indiana: 265,400
12) Louisiana: 266,984
11) Michigan: 301,790
10) Wisconsin: 341,023
9) New Jersey: 349,357
8) North Carolina: 369,715
7) Tennessee: 381,342
6) New York: 494,007
5) Texas: 657,640
4) Pennsylvania: 688,697
3) Ohio: 745,061
2) Illinois: 1,043,294
And the state with the most lead service lines is...
The Serious Health Effects Of Lead
Lead service lines are known to be a significant source of lead contamination in drinking water. Even at low levels, lead ingestion can cause serious health implications especially for young children and pregnant women. While risk varies from individual to individual, there is significant evidence that lead can cause irreversible damage to the kidneys as well as the nervous, reproductive and cardiovascular systems.
Never Worry About Lead Again
Rest assured, all of our products have been independently tested and verified by EPA accredited laboratories to filter lead at a removal rate of up to 99.3%. You can find the test results for all of our products here
The bottom line is lead piping isn't going to be removed all at once or anytime soon. Nor is the lead that we already have in our bodies. But you don’t need to wait for a solution. And you shouldn’t. Protect yourself (and your loved ones) from the dangers of lead right now with our breakthrough pitcher filter.
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