Friday in Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan with other officials celebrated the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department’s steadfast progress in protecting the city’s drinking water from lead.

Since 2022, Detroit has received $90 million in federal funding to help replace lead pipes, including $85 million distributed by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy, and a $5 million EPA grant awarded under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act. Legacy pipes can leech lead into drinking water, which can cause developmental problems, liver damage, and other concerns – making this an important effort to improve public health in Detroit communities.

“The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure. That’s why it is vitally important to rid our communities of lead service lines to reduce lead exposure for residents, especially children,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda is accelerating progress on removing legacy lead pipes. With the help of EPA funding, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department has made game-changing progress to replace lead service lines across the city, helping to build a healthier Detroit for years to come while creating good-paying jobs in the process.”

Recent federal funding has rapidly accelerated the city’s lead service line replacement  Since 2018, the utility has replaced nearly 9,500 lead service lines. Over half of those – nearly 5,000 – have been replaced in 2024. Detroit’s lead service line replacement program uses a neighborhood-by-neighborhood approach, prioritizing vulnerable areas such as communities with a high density of low-income households, children and seniors, and housing built prior to 1945. Not only does the program have a critical public health benefit, it also helps create jobs for the local economy.

"Since Governor Whitmer took office, more than $958 million has been invested to remove lead service lines across the state, including over $85 million to support the City of Detroit in their lead remediation efforts” said EGLE Director Phil Roos. “We applaud the commitment of the Biden-Harris administration and the Environmental Protection Agency for their efforts to help communities across Michigan get the lead out. Investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law have allowed Michigan to rebuild our water infrastructure while supporting good-paying jobs and ensuring that every family in Michigan has the confidence that their drinking water is healthy."

“EPA funding has enabled DWSD to accelerate lead service line replacement to meet our commitment of getting lead pipes out in the next 10 years without any cost to homeowners,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “We appreciate the support from the Biden Harris Administration, EPA Administrator Michael Regan, and Acting Assistant Administrator Bruno Pigott.”

“Getting the lead service lines out of Detroit homes is a public health issue, every one of our divisions is working on the program and we are hiring Detroiters for this work in our neighborhoods,” said DWSD Director Gary Brown. “We’ve always said that we cannot put the cost burden onto our residents and we are committed to cover the full cost of the replacement in the most efficient way. The $90 million received through the EPA and EGLE has made our accelerated pace with new contractors and employee crews possible, without any impact on water rates. We appreciate Administrator Michael Regan, Acting Assistant Administrator Pigott, EGLE Director Phil Roos and other officials for supporting our Detroit program.”

Background 

Lead poses serious health risks to both children and adults, though children are especially vulnerable. Low-income and other historically underserved communities disproportionately experience high levels of lead in their drinking water because they are disproportionately served by lead services lines.

The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act addresses, supports, and improves America's drinking water infrastructure. Included in the WIIN Act is the Reducing Lead in Drinking Water grant program, which is designed to reduce lead in drinking water in disadvantaged communities through infrastructure and/or treatment improvements, or facility remediation in schools and childcare facilities. The goal of these projects is to address conditions that contribute to increased concentrations of lead in drinking water. 

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