Lead Updates: Less Than One Year Until LCRR Implementation Deadline

As of October 20, 2023, the proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) is still under review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This leaves less than one year for EPA to hold the public comment period for the proposed rule, address comments, make revisions to the proposal, and undergo review by OMB for the final rule before the October 16, 2024 regulatory deadline outlined in the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR). Initial lead service line (LSL) inventories are the first of many requirements that are effective with the LCRR, and are due to be submitted by public water systems to their state and territorial primacy agencies by October 16, 2024; consumers served by an unknown, galvanized requiring replacement, or LSL must be notified of the status of their service line material within 30 days of the submission of the inventory.

On Monday, October 16, 2023, ASDWA hosted twelve drinking water experts from eleven consulting firms with nationwide experience working with systems and states to develop LSL inventories. A recording and materials from the webinar are available in ASDWA’s video library.

Meanwhile, EPA continues to move forward with advancing their Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in US Communities with their finding that lead pollution from certain aircraft cause or contribute to the lead air pollution that may reasonably endanger public health under the Clean Air Act. This final finding does not ban or impose restrictions on leaded fuel, nor does it establish new control measures regarding aircraft emissions, but with this finding, EPA is now obligated under the Clean Air Act to propose and promulgate regulatory standards for lead emissions from certain aircraft engines. Additional information on this finding can be found on EPA’s website.