Lead and Copper Rule (LCR)

A federal regulation published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1991 to control lead and copper levels in drinking water. The LCR established a maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) of zero for lead in drinking water and implemented treatment techniques aimed at reducing corrosion of lead and copper within water distribution systems. The rule has since undergone several revisions, including minor updates in 2004 and short-term changes in 2007, before the 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR).

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    • Milwaukee Water Works Lead Pipes – Prioritization Program
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  • Case Study

    • Building Trust Through the Airwaves: How Benton Harbor Used Community Radio to Tackle Lead Pipe Replacement

    The purpose of the Lead Innovation Hub is to empower users to take action by equipping them with the best information, solutions, and resources available to replace lead pipes and improve public health for all.

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    Milwaukee is one of the few cities in the country with a prioritization plan to ensure neighborhoods likely to suffer the most severe impacts from lead poisoning get their pipes replaced first. In consultation with a community-based group, Coalition for Lead Emergency (COLE), and following a public engagement process, Milwaukee included in an ordinance three indicators to prioritize where LSLs will be removed first:

    1. The area deprivation index (ADI), which is a compilation of social determinants of health
    2. The percentage of children found to have elevated lead levels in their blood when tested for lead poisoning
    3. The density of lead service lines in the neighborhood.

    Read more here.