RWJF Applauds EPA’s Historic Rule to Replace Lead Pipes, Ensure Clean Drinking Water Nationwide

PRINCETON, N.J.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule today that will require drinking water systems across the United States to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years. Dr. Avenel Joseph, interim executive vice president at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, released the following statement in response:

Access to safe, affordable water is a cornerstone of a healthy community and a human right. For generations, lead exposure has silently robbed millions of children—especially those living in communities of color, communities with lower incomes, and rural places—of this right. With this regulation in place, our country finally says: no more. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation applauds EPA for requiring the removal of all remaining lead service lines in the United States within the next decade. It is now incumbent upon all of us—water utilities, policymakers, community leaders, and philanthropies—to work together to devote the necessary resources to beating that deadline and prioritizing the most affected neighborhoods for immediate action.

For more information or to speak with an expert, contact media@rwjf.org.

About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

RWJF is a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime. Through funding, convening, advocacy, and evidence-building, we work side-by-side with communities, practitioners, and institutions to get to health equity faster and pave the way together to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.