Warner & Kaine Announce Nearly $35.2 Million in Federal Funding to Replace Lead Pipes in Virginia
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, both D-VA, announced an estimated $35,159,000 in federal funding for Virginia to identify and replace lead pipes and create good-paying water infrastructure jobs. The funding was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that the senators helped pass and is being allocated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after the Biden-Harris Administration issued a rule requiring drinking water systems across the country to replace lead pipes within the next ten years.
“Every Virginian should have access to safe, reliable drinking water,” said the senators. “We’re thrilled this funding will eliminate dangerous lead exposure in the tap water of homes and schools across the Commonwealth, all while creating good-paying jobs. We’re glad to have helped pass the legislation that made this investment possible and will continue to do all that we can to keep Virginians safe.”
The EPA estimates that as of 2023, there are 187,883 lead services lines in Virginia, which can lead to significant long-term health risks for those exposed. In children, lead can severely harm mental and physical development, slow down learning, and irreversibly damage the brain. In adults, lead can cause increased blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function, and cancer. If someone is impacted by lead exposure, there is no known antidote, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This funding will combat these risks by accelerating the lead pipe removal process.
The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) also require more rigorous testing of drinking water and a lower threshold requiring communities to take action to protect people from lead exposure in water. In addition, the final rule improves communication within communities so that families are better informed about the risk of lead in drinking water, the location of lead pipes, and plans for replacing them.
Warner and Kaine have long advocated for clean drinking water for Virginians. In September 2024, Warner and Kaine announced nearly $2 million in federal funding for Lee and Wise counties and the Town of Clintwood to support infrastructure projects that will improve and extend waterline and sewer systems to additional homes. In February, they announced over $2.8 million in federal funding to improve water quality and increase access to safe drinking water in Wythe County and to assess the public health risk from harmful chemicals in local landfills in rural communities across Virginia. Last year, they announced $4,352,000 in federal funding for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF).
###