Get the Lead Out (GLO) Initiative
- 02.12.2023
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Get the Lead Out (GLO) Initiative
All communities need access to safe, reliable drinking water. Yet an estimated 9.2 million pipes (also called service lines) that provide drinking water to homes across the United States contain lead. To protect families, children and communities from lead exposure, EPA has established the Get the Lead Out Initiative (GLO Initiative). Through the GLO Initiative, EPA will partner with 200 underserved communities, helping them identify lead services lines, develop replacement plans, and apply for funding to get the lead out. This new resource from EPA helps achieve President Biden’s goal of 100% lead pipe removal and builds on EPA’s existing water technical assistance (WaterTA) portfolio.
Working Together to Get the Lead Out
In 2021, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This historic $50 billion investment in water and wastewater infrastructure dedicates more than $15 billion to removing and replacing lead service lines (LSLs). Through the GLO Initiative, 200 communities will have access to their fair share of this unprecedented funding and ensure safer drinking water for all. The GLO Initiative will help communities nationwide address barriers to lead pipe removal by providing tools, best practices, and peer exchange and learning.
EPA will work with communities to get the lead out by supporting the development of:
1. LSL Inventories that meet 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions requirements deadline. An LSL Inventory is necessary to fully identify the funding needs of the community;
2. Community Engagement Plans that invite community-wide input, provide educational resources, and meaningfully engage affected residents and community members while identifying and replacing LSLs;
3. Lead Service Line Replacement Plans to provide each municipality a roadmap for 100% identification and full replacement of all LSLs, including public and private portions; and/or
4. State Revolving Fund (SRF) Applications to help communities fund their service line replacement. Each recipient of this technical assistance will receive a customized plan to facilitate their work with the state.
Additionally, EPA will develop tools and case studies to share information and best practices between the Agency, state and Tribal programs, water system managers, and community leaders.
An All of Government Approach
Through its Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan, the Biden-Harris Administration has made accelerating lead service line replacement a top priority. EPA is committed to using every tool available including our statutory authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act, water technical assistance, infrastructure investments, and more to replace lead pipes and protect children and communities across America from lead in drinking water.
For More Information
For more information about EPA’s ongoing technical assistance programs, please visit www.epa.gov/waterta. Communities can request assistance by completing the WaterTA request form at: https://www.epa.gov/water-infrastructure/forms/water-technical-assistance-request-form
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