On Monday, the Biden administration issued an updated Lead and Copper rule that requires drinking water systems across the country to identify and replace all lead service lines in the next 10 years. The rule also requires more rigorous testing of drinking water systems and increased communication about the risks associated with lead in drinking water.
I’ve written about the EPA’s lead and copper rule before, mostly focusing on this paper which talks about the immense benefits that this rule could create. That same paper recently influenced our own analysis of a proposal to replace lead service lines in Ohio.
The biggest takeaway from both of these analyses is that removing lead service lines from our drinking water systems could be one of the most valuable ways to spend public dollars we have. The damage done by lead in our drinking water is immense, resulting in a wide range of economic and health problems for everyone exposed. Our analysis found that removing every lead pipe in Ohio could result in 650 fewer infant deaths and nearly 10,000 avoided deaths from heart disease in the first 15 years.
Not only would replacing lead service lines prevent deaths, but it would also significantly improve the quality of life for Ohioans in many other ways. The analysis revealed that over 290,000 children in Ohio would avoid losing an average of 1.25 IQ points, a benefit that would lead to $8.4 billion in future earnings over the next 15 years. This is just one example of how the removal of lead service lines is an investment in Ohio’s future, an investment that pays dividends in better health, higher productivity, and stronger communities.
Our study also highlights the mental health benefits of replacing lead pipes, estimating that 3,800 fewer cases of depression and 520 fewer cases of dementia would occur over the 15-year period. We’d also see fewer cases of ADHD, anemia, and coronary heart disease that would result in substantial economic benefits in terms of medical costs and lost productivity.
From an environmental and economic perspective, the benefits are equally as striking. Replacing lead service lines would reduce water waste, with an estimated $82 billion saved over 15 years. Lead service lines, many of which are decades old, no longer function efficiently and contribute to unnecessary water loss. Updating this aging infrastructure is a key part of making Ohio’s water systems more sustainable and cost-effective in the long run.
This is especially important for Ohio, which faces a disproportionate burden when it comes to lead service lines. The state accounts for over 8% of the nation’s lead pipes despite making up only 3.6% of the U.S. population. This makes the issue even more pressing for Ohioans, and efforts to replace these pipes are extremely likely to be positive investments for the state.
Ultimately, the data from this cost-benefit analysis underscores that replacing lead service lines isn’t just about addressing a health crisis, it’s about making a smart financial investment in Ohio’s future.