Ohio bill could require the removal of all lead pipes statewide

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two Ohio state representatives have put forth a bill that would require all lead pipes to be replaced, an effort that could cost billions of dollars.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio has the third-most active lead water lines in the country. Lead piping in public water systems has been banned for more than four years, but Ohio’s communities still have them buried beneath roads, yards and sidewalks delivering drinking water to homes.

House Bill 307 would require water systems to identify and replace lead pipes within 15 years. The bill is sponsored by Representatives Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus) and Monica Robb Blasdel (R-Scioto).

“With 745,000 active lead lines, making us third in the country to have as many as we have. That means, every day there is a child or family that is drinking tainted water and they don’t understand how and why it’s impacting them,” said Jarrells, who said he had lead poisoning as a child from lead paint chips.
Columbus has mapped out where most of its lead service lines are and is in the process of replacing them. Many of those lines fall within Jarrells’ district.

“We can’t go another five years and you show me this map again and it still has these red dots. That means we have done what we needed to do for the betterment of Ohioans and the residents of my district,” he said.

Columbus is expected to replace about 2,100 lines this year and have nearly 50,000 replaced by 2037. Other municipalities, such as Cleveland and Cincinnati, have also been tackling their own lead pipes.

A Biden administration ruling already requires water systems to identify and replace lead pipes, giving the systems 10 years to do so.
Jarrells said the cost of replacing all the lead pipes in Ohio could cost more than $5 billion. 10TV asked if he thinks the state is willing to step up and cover that cost.

“I think there’s a conversation to be had. We were able to get some ARPA dollars to allocate out to local communities to begin to address some of the lead lines, the mapping piece,” he said. “I think that there’s a will to want to invest when local communities have a plan of action to address these lead service lines.”

Lead exposure can lead to developmental delays, learning difficulties and neurological damage in children. It can also cause harm to adults by the way of high blood pressure, kidney problems and reproductive system damage.