Rep. Summer Lee, EPA, and Pittsburgh Water Leaders Celebrate Major Progress on Lead Pipe Replacement and Children’s Health in Pittsburgh

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Rep. Summer Lee, EPA, and Pittsburgh Water Leaders Celebrate Major Progress on Lead Pipe Replacement and Children’s Health in Pittsburgh

(Pittsburgh, PA) – Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12) joined EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott, Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) CEO Will Pickering, and other local officials on October 31 in Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood to celebrate significant progress in replacing lead pipes and improving children’s health. The event marked the end of Children’s Health Month and highlighted the Biden administration’s recent Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, alongside crucial funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which together are accelerating lead pipe replacements across Pittsburgh and the nation.

Congresswoman Summer Lee emphasized the importance of these initiatives for Pittsburgh’s families, particularly in historically underserved neighborhoods. “The reality is, today isn’t just about pipes or infrastructure—it’s about protecting our kids, creating jobs, and showing what happens when we roll up our sleeves to get lead out of our water,” said Rep. Lee. “Thanks to the Biden administration’s Lead and Copper Rule Improvements and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re seeing action. The federal government is backing us with the resources we need to speed things up. And Pittsburgh is stepping up as a model, proving that when we invest in communities, we get real, lasting results.”

Key leaders spoke on the impact of these federal and local partnerships on public health and job creation. “We have so far received over $149 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This is the most BIL funding awarded through PENNVEST in the entire state,” stated Will Pickering PWSA’s CEO. “We thank the Biden-Harris Administration, EPA, the Board of PENNVEST, and Governor Shapiro for their support. We will continue to tap into this important source of support from our federal partners.”

“EPA is committed to ensuring that all people have clean and safe drinking water and Pittsburgh is leading the way. By replacing more than 11,800 old lead pipes that can contaminate water, residents have safer water today and for future generations. The Biden-Harris Administration is providing $15 billion to remove lead pipes across the nation and this month EPA announced new requirements ensuring that communities across the country replace their lead pipes in the next 10 years. These efforts protect children from exposure to a potent neurotoxin while replacing these pipes creates good-paying jobs. That’s the win-win of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda.” said Bruno Pigott, EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water.

“Customers of the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority can have confidence that the water they rely on for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and personal hygiene has a clean bill of health,” said State Representative Lindsay Powell. “PWSA is on an impressive journey, and I commend their leadership, board of directors, and the community advocates who have transformed it into a public asset we can be proud of,” she said.   

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This initiative is not only a public health priority but also an economic boost for Pittsburgh residents. Each lead pipe replaced contributes to safer drinking water and supports the local economy by creating well-paying jobs for contractors and laborers in Pittsburgh. “Every pipe we replace is another job created. Local contractors, good-paying jobs, family-sustaining wages—all flowing right into our neighborhoods. That’s the impact we’re celebrating today,” added Rep. Lee.

Background on Lead Pipe Removal in Pittsburgh:
Since taking office, Congresswoman Lee has prioritized lead pipe removal and clean water access across Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. Last year, she helped deliver a $52.4 million federal loan to support the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority’s Water Reliability Plan investments. In addition, the House passed Rep. Lee’s amendment to the FY2024 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which highlights the need to protect children’s health by increasing funding for testing and remediating lead contamination in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities.

In January 2024, Rep. Lee announced an additional $32.1 million in low-interest federal loans and grants to help PWSA aggressively remove lead service lines throughout Southwest Pennsylvania. Thanks to this funding and local dedication, PWSA remains on track to remove all lead pipes in Pittsburgh by 2026. To date, the Authority has removed 1,746 public lead service lines and 1,605 private lines, advancing Pittsburgh’s goal of lead-free drinking water systems.

About the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements:
The Biden administration’s recent Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, coupled with the unprecedented funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aim to accelerate lead pipe replacement efforts across the country. Pennsylvania, home to some of the highest numbers of lead service lines, has received significant funding to address this critical issue, helping cities like Pittsburgh make rapid progress toward clean and safe drinking water.

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Since taking office in January 2023, Lee, who serves on the House Oversight Committee and Space, Science and Technology Committee, has delivered historic levels of federal investment totaling over $2 Billion brought back to Western PA, including over $580 million for infrastructure, over $110 million for affordable transit, over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania, and over $55 million on clean energy efforts in and around schools to help keep our kids and communities safe. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fund research institutions, fuel clean manufacturing, fund STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs.  Lee and her team have also delivered casework and constituent services to over 2,780 constituents with issues ranging from helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and social security to helping folks secure housing and helping families with immigration support and passports.