ICYMI: Davids Secures Major Federal Investment to Replace Lead Pipes, Ensure Clean Water for Kansas
Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Kansas would receive $28.65 million from the bipartisan infrastructure law to help identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Davids was the only member of Kansas’ congressional delegation to vote for the bipartisan infrastructure law, which has now allocated nearly $87 million for lead pipe replacement projects across Kansas.
Lead exposure can cause severe illness, primarily in babies and infants, and there are an estimated 160,000 lead water lines in Kansas – the third-highest per capita nationwide. Read more about Kansas’ clean water needs and how Davids is working to address them in her "State of our Systems: Water" report.
Davids’ efforts to secure clean water for Kansans made headlines across Kansas:
Kansas Reflector: Federal law delivers $28.6 million to Kansas for replacing lead pipes for drinking water
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set aside $28.6 million from the bipartisan federal infrastructure law to replace a portion of the estimated 160,000 lead water lines in Kansas capable of causing severe illness, especially among young children.
Lead service lines bringing water into residences from main lines under the street have been identified as a contributor to poisoning of humans. Lead exposure disproportionately harms communities of color and low-income families.
‘From the water in our taps to the rain in our gutters, water infrastructure touches many parts of our lives,’ said U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas. ‘People don’t always realize how important those systems are until they fail, but it’s our responsibility to ensure they never get to that point.’
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The Natural Resources Defense Council reported in 2021 that Kansas had the third-highest number of lead pipes per 100,000 residents among the 50 states.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains there was no safe level of lead exposure for children. Low levels of exposure to the potent neurotoxin in children has been linked to brain and nervous system damage and contributed to learning disabilities, harm to blood cells and impaired hearing. In adults, lead contributed to cardiovascular disease, kidney damage and reproductive complications.
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The EPA funding earmarked for Kansas was drawn from the 2021 federal infrastructure law passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden. It was opposed by the five GOP members of the Kansas congressional delegation.”
KCTV: $28 million headed to Kansas for lead pipe replacement for clean water
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on Thursday, May 2, that $28.6 million from the Investing in America Agenda has been earmarked to help Kansas find and replace lead service lines. The move will prevent exposure to lead in drinking water which can cause a range of serious health impacts.
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‘The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,’ said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. ‘President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.’
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The EPA has projected that a national total of 9 million lead service lines across the nation, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. Thursday’s funds will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement.
‘From the water in our taps to the rain in our gutters, water infrastructure touches many parts of our lives,’ said U.S. Representative Sharice Davids (KS-03). ‘People don’t always realize how important those systems are until they fail – but it’s our responsibility to ensure they never get to that point. I am glad to welcome investments from the bipartisan infrastructure bill to help deliver cleaner drinking water, safer stormwater systems, and better wastewater management to our communities.’”
KWCH: Kansas receives $28M to replace thousands of lead pipes
“Kansas received $28.65 million to replace lead pipes. The money comes from the Biden Administration’s Investing in America Agenda, which includes his goal of replacing every lead pipe in the country.
‘From the water in our taps to the rain in our gutters, water infrastructure touches many parts of our lives,’ said U.S. Representative Sharice Davids (KS-03). ‘People don’t always realize how important those systems are until they fail – but it’s our responsibility to ensure they never get to that point. I am glad to welcome investments from the bipartisan infrastructure bill to help deliver cleaner drinking water, safer stormwater systems, and better wastewater management to our communities.’
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law used $15 billion to find and replace lead pipes across the United States. That law mandates that 49% of the fund be given to disadvantaged communities as grants and forgivable loans.
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‘We know that lead has serious and harmful health effects on individuals, especially children,’ said Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Janet Stanek. ‘This investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law gives Kansas the resources it needs to continue replacing water infrastructure that ultimately ensures safe drinking water, which is essential for the health and safety of all Kansans.’”