The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) submitted a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reiterating the commitment of the association and its member utilities, the nation’s largest public drinking water systems, to partner in further reducing exposure from lead in drinking water.
In an April 7, 2016 letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, AMWA outlined commitments including:
- providing access to industry-leading water experts working for AMWA member utilities;
- working closely with primacy agencies to ensure transparency and proper implementation of Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) requirements; and
- ensuring optimization of corrosion control.
AMWA CEO Diane VanDe Hei noted that “eliminating exposure from lead in tap water that can leach from service lines and household plumbing fixtures will take time and resources, and require a commitment from federal, state and local governments, public water systems and the general public to adequately fund programs that can assist utilities and consumers, particularly in low income areas, in removing lead pipes and other types of piping and fixtures that contain lead. In the near to mid term, the most rapid way to ensure that the public, particularly the most vulnerable, are protected from drinking water contaminated by lead is to ensure proper optimization of corrosion control.”
AMWA also stated its strong support for robust funding of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act and other programs vital for achieving infrastructure repair and replacement goals.
# # #