A bill to replace lead service lines more quickly is advancing through the Indiana Statehouse with bipartisan support.
Senate Bill 5 aims to replace lead service lines more quickly, more efficiently and at a lower cost.
In 1991, the Environmental Protection Agency established the Lead and Copper Rule which aims to reduce lead and copper in drinking water. Although lead pipes were banned with the 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act Lead Ban, an estimated 265,000 lead pipes are still in use in Indiana, according to the EPA.
The EPA proposed a rule in November of last year that would require water systems to replace lead service lines within 10 years. Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford said he would like the state to move faster than the 10-year limit imposed by the EPA.
Lead service lines are pipes that connect the water main under a street to a building’s plumbing. The most common sources of lead in drinking water are lead pipes and brass or bronze faucets and fixtures, according to the EPA. The use of lead pipes was banned by Congress in 1986. Congress also limited the amount of lead in brass to a maximum 8% in 1996 and lowered that to 0.25% in 2011.
The first step in replacing lead service lines is taking inventory of lead service lines. Some utilities are still collecting an inventory of their lead service lines. Indiana American Water was the first water utility in the state to file a plan for lead service lines. More than half of the lead service lines in the service area have already been replaced, according to a press release. The utility estimates there were as many as 55,000 lead service lines in use just a few years ago, with about two-thirds of those located in northwest Indiana.
Indiana American Water, which serves communities all over the state including much of Johnson County, has also spent $97 million to replace or remove almost 30,000 lead service lines in its service areas across the state prior to filing the plan. The plan doesn’t go into specifics about lead service lines in Johnson County.
Utilities must provide an initial inventory of their lead service lines by Oct. 16.
About the bill
Koch hopes to make the process more affordable and easier with SB 5.
“The bill recognizes that removing these lines is very expensive, beyond the reach of many homeowners and in rental situations, they’re unmotivated landlords willing to spend the money to do it,” Koch said. “So the more efficiently a utility can work, the less expensive it is to do and the more quickly it can be done.”
SB 5 would replace lead service lines at no cost to some homeowners. The bill would apply to any utility that has approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. Only three utilities, Indiana American Water, Citizens Energy and Fort Wayne City Utilities have an approved replacement plan, Koch said.
The program removes the service lines at the utility’s expense and no cost to the homeowner. One obstacle with replacing lead service lines has been unresponsive property owners, he said.
In many cases, they are out-of-state landlords, he said. The bill would allow utility companies, upon notice to schedule the service line replacement, to access the property if the owner does not enroll in the program or replace the service lines at their own expense within 45 days.
“The idea is every time the utility has to remove the lines, the cost goes up and the delay is longer,” Koch said. “This bill will speed things along and allow utilities to do it at a lower cost. I don’t want to have to wait the 10 years we’re going to be given. I’d like to move much faster and so do Hoosiers.”
Koch hopes to see an improvement in public health with the bill, he said. An amendment, added by Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, would also establish a school lead testing and remediation grant program to make grants available to perform lead testing in schools.
Indra Frank, the Hoosier Environmental Council’s director of environmental health and water policy said the bill will help reduce the chances of lead getting into drinking water, while assisting utilities in replacing LSL, especially when it comes to abandoned properties.
SB 5 passed out of the Senate on Jan. 30 in a 49-0 vote, with one member absent. It will be heard by the House Utilities Committee on Tuesday.
Health effects
There is no safe level of lead, according to the EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lead is a toxic heavy metal that can be found in soil and homes.
Lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials that contain it corrode. Many factors including water temperature, the amount of water in pipes and how long the water stays in pipes can allow lead to enter drinking water. Lead pipes are more likely to be found in older cities and homes built before 1986, according to the EPA.
Historically, lead has been used in gasoline, paint, plumbing pipes and even cosmetics. Significant disparities in lead exposure persist along racial, ethnic and socioeconomic lines, according to the EPA.
Exposure to lead can cause serious health effects, especially in pregnant people, infants and young children. Even a small amount of lead that would not affect an adult can cause significant damage to the central nervous system and the brain, leading to lower IQ’s and slow growth and development, impaired hearing and more.
Children exposed to lead can develop hearing and speech problems as well as learning and behavior problems, leading to decreased ability to pay attention and under-performance in schools, according to Indiana Lead Free.
Elevated blood lead levels can cause behavioral problems, learning difficulties and decreased IQ. Even low exposure to lead can have adverse health effects and it can bioaccumulate in the body over time, according to the EPA. The CDC recommends actions when a child’s blood lead level is 3.5 micrograms per deciliter or more. Children can also be exposed to lead through paint, soil, food and the air.
If a child’s blood lead level is over the 3.5 micrograms per deciliter, it may be due to a combination of sources, according to the CDC. About 20% or more of a person’s total exposure to lead can be attributed to drinking water, according to the EPA. However, infants who consume mostly mixed formula can receive 40% to 60% of exposure from drinking water.
The EPA recommends contacting your local water utility to have your water tested. Using cold water and running the tap for at least 30 seconds before drinking can help to reduce lead in drinking water.