Davids Announces New Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding for Clean Water, Lead Pipe Replacement in Kansas
Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced $66.1 million in bipartisan infrastructure law funding is coming to Kansas to ensure clean drinking water across the state. Thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law, this funding includes $28.6 million dedicated to lead pipe replacement and a first-time, survey-based estimate of how many lead service lines are carrying water to Kansas homes, schools, and businesses.
"Everyone deserves access to clean drinking water, and we have a responsibility to ensure that water is safe for our communities to use," said Davids. "I am glad to welcome funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law to help deliver that cleaner water to homes and schools across Kansas and applaud new efforts to identify and replace potentially harmful lead pipes."
Kansas will receive $66.1 million specifically for drinking water projects, $28.6 million of which is dedicated to lead service line replacement. The level of funding is based on the results of a survey conducted every four years by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This year, thanks to action from Congress, the survey for the first time included questions focused on lead service lines. The results estimate that Kansas has 54,107 lead service lines that could be carrying drinking water to homes, schools, and other buildings.
Rep. Davids examines lead pipes in Olathe carrying water into homes.
"The $66.1 million that Kansas will receive in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be used to ensure that Kansans have access to clean drinking water," said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meghan A. McCollister. "Kansas' investments through this fund will aid in securing needed resources to address critical infrastructure needs, threats to drinking water systems such as lead pipes, and emerging contaminants such as PFAS."
This news adds to February's announcement of annual bipartisan infrastructure law funding of $20.9 million for essential stormwater and wastewater upgrades in Kansas. As Davids found in her 2021 report on water infrastructure in Kansas' Third District, nearly $1 billion in wastewater treatment facility repairs are needed over the next 25 years to prevent overflows and failures.
Davids was the only member of the Kansas delegation to vote to pass the bipartisan infrastructure law, which is paid for through a combination of new revenues and savings and has been called the most fiscally responsible infrastructure bill in at least a decade by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.