How Not to Get the Lead Out—Lead Service Line Replacement Will Not Solve Our Drinking Water Crisis

Since the water crisis erupted in Flint, Michigan, over lead in the water, there have been numerous calls to replace lead pipes used to bring water into the home. This is likely to do little, if anything, to reduce the detection of lead in drinking water under EPA sampling protocols. The problem is that the standard 1-l sample draws only from the first 10 to 22 ft of the pipe, not enough to reach the service line. The lead most likely comes from interior plumbing. Unless we find the actual sources of the lead, we may be in the same crisis position years from now after spending billions of dollars.