The US Environmental Protection Agency promotes the billions of dollars allocated for replacing lead pipes in drinking water and combating PFAS pollution as part of the Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, initiative. However, these resources were approved much earlier under the bipartisan infrastructure law passed before Trump took office.
The $1 billion package announced by the agency last month will be used to address pollution caused by synthetic substances known as PFAS, commonly called "forever chemicals." The second package, announced two days later and worth $2.9 billion, was allocated for locating and replacing lead pipes.
Funds were allocated during the Biden administration
Both of these resources were included in the bipartisan infrastructure law passed in 2021, before the Trump administration. The law envisioned spending more than $50 billion over five years to renew the country's water infrastructure, described as the largest investment since the Clean Water Act of 1972.
About $15 billion was allocated for the removal of lead pipes. The EPA distributed this money over the past five years based on the proportion of lead lines in the states. The $2.9 billion payment announced last month was the fifth and final annual distribution required by the law.
Additionally, $5 billion was allocated for PFAS cleanup. However, there was a cut in this year's lead pipe fund; Republican lawmakers redirected $125 million to wildfire prevention spending. The Trump administration also initially delayed releasing the $2.9 billion allocated for 2025.
Payment made after pressure from Illinois representatives
The funds were released following pressure from Illinois Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi and six other Illinois lawmakers. These individuals claimed that the money was being held in states governed by Democrats.
It was reported that the EPA proposed to cut the budget in half by 2027 and reduce the funds long allocated for lead pipe replacement by 90%. According to regulations, the vast majority of water utilities must eliminate all lead pipes in the country by 2037.
If budget cuts continue, these goals may become more difficult. Scott Berry from the nonprofit US Water Alliance said there is no new investment plan while states are trying to clean lead pipes, and the current level is not being maintained.
Berry noted that postponing spending on water infrastructure could cost households more in the long run, with bills potentially increasing by about $1,000.
Illinois has the highest concentration of lead lines
The EPA estimates there are about 4 million lead service lines nationwide. The largest share, about 1.5 million lines, is in Illinois.
In Chicago, there are reportedly more than 400,000 lead service lines. This is due to construction codes that required lead connections until 1986. Therefore, Illinois received about 10% of federal resources and secured the largest allocation among the 50 states.
Chicago Water Management spokesperson Megan Vidis said the city will work to secure its fair share but that no decision has yet been made on how much Chicago will receive.
Due to direct fund cuts, Illinois is expected to receive about $15 million less this year than initially anticipated. Chakena Sims from the environmental organization Natural Resources Defense Council emphasized that if the federal government is serious about removing lead from water and renewing aging water infrastructure, it should continue bipartisan infrastructure investment.
