New rules proposed by the EPA would require most cities in the country to replace lead pipes within 10 years, but Corey McCoid, who oversees Iowa's drinking water program, said that might be a difficult goal to achieve even with federal funding.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources manages water quality in the state. McCoid said no level of lead is safe. The U.S. banned lead pipes in 1988, but they can be found in older homes and neighborhoods.
“Replacing all the lead service lines is great. We'll need a little more time than ten years to do that,” McCoid said.
McCoid said finding crews to replace the lines could be a challenge, and so could managing the price tag. He estimated the cost to range from $4,000 to $15,000 per service line.
“That means you’re digging up from the water main in the street all the way to the house, and that’s very expensive,” he said. “And you have concerns with sidewalks, driveways and oak trees. Plus, landscaping, bushes and all those things come into play here.”
McCoid is reviewing the 622-page proposal and says cities statewide have already started work identifying lead service lines as required by a previous mandate from the Trump administration. The deadline for compliance is Oct. 16, 2024.
"I applaud the EPA's efforts."Corey McCoid, Iowa DNR
McCoid said the proposed rules also include more detailed water sampling from residents to help reduce health risks.
“Instead of taking the first sample from somebody's kitchen or bathroom sink, they're going to take a first liter sample and a fifth liter sample to get a better representation of what's in potentially the lead service line, which may be further out in the yard, versus what's coming directly out of your tap," he said. "They will also take a sample of what's further back in your pipes."
According to McCoid, having enough people willing to have their water sampled can be difficult.
"You have to have a certain stagnation time," he said. "It has to sit in the pipes for at least eight hours before someone comes in to draw a sample."
Iowa’s Bipartisan Infrastructure funding is providing $162 million in grants through 2026 to address the issue of safe drinking water. Several Iowa cities have already requested funding to help replace lead pipes in their communities, including Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Council Bluffs, the Quad Cities, Clinton and Burlington. The Sioux City Utilities Director Brad Puetz told IPR News his department is working to put together a lead pipe inventory list before starting lead service line replacement.
In Des Moines, there are an estimated 20,000 lead service lines. The Des Moines Water Works website allows residents to check their addresses for lead pipes. Water Works conducts annual water testing of homes with suspected lead water service lines.
"I applaud the EPA's efforts, and this is just the first crack at it," McCoid said. "So we'll take a hard look at this and see [where] we'll land with this final rule that will come out next year.”
