The U.S. Senate is set to vote on a spending package that would slash $125 million from funds allocated for replacing toxic lead pipes. This move, following a House vote, repurposes money from the 2021 infrastructure law amid pushback from advocates and lawmakers. The cuts come as states like Illinois urgently seek more support to address widespread lead contamination in drinking water.
The proposed legislation, part of a package covering three appropriations bills for federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, targets funds from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. That law allocated $15 billion over five years to replace lead service lines, which carry water to homes and buildings and pose risks of neurotoxic harm.
The EPA obligated nearly $3 billion in 2025 funding last November, with Illinois receiving the largest portion due to its high number of lead pipes. Another $3 billion was planned for this year, the final year of the program. However, the bill would redirect $125 million of that to wildland fire management, a reduction from an earlier draft's $250 million cut that Democrats successfully challenged.
Lawmakers like Representative Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, have voiced strong opposition. “We are facing a water crisis, and I’m disappointed that money appropriated by the [Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act] for lead pipe replacement is being repurposed by this legislation,” Dingell stated. She and Representative Rashida Tlaib led a letter signed by 43 members of Congress urging Senate leaders to protect the funds, emphasizing the need for aggressive federal support to tackle this public health risk.
Advocates echo these concerns. Julian Gonzalez of Earthjustice called the partial cut 'bittersweet,' noting it would still affect thousands of replacements and impact families directly. Mary Grant from Food & Water Watch argued there is no justification for reducing funding, as communities burdened by lead pipes require every dollar. The EPA has mandated nationwide replacement within about a decade, with extensions for high-burden states.
Estimates of lead service lines vary: the EPA revised its figure from 9 million in 2024 to 4 million late last year, a change critics like Erik D. Olson of the Natural Resources Defense Council say could justify further cuts. Olson warned that removing lead pipes yields health benefits over 14 times the costs, calling reduced funding 'penny-wise and pound-foolish.' Replacement nationwide could cost $45 billion to $90 billion, hitting cities like Chicago hardest.
The EPA defended its methodology as more robust, based on state inventories, and highlighted ongoing efforts to accelerate removals. The agency declined to comment on the pending bill.
