Driven by Research: EPA’s Plan to Replace All Lead Pipes in Decade Following Study by Harvard T.H. Chan Professor Ronnie Levin

In the next decade, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to replace all of the country’s lead pipes. The driving force behind this change is Ronnie Levin, an instructor in Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s department of environmental health, who conducted a cost-benefit analysis in 2023 on reducing lead in drinking water.

Levin and her collaborator Joel Schwartz found that addressing lead in American water could save over $8 billion annually in health benefits and at least $2 billion in infrastructure costs, with a benefit-to-cost ratio of 35 to 1. This analysis highlighted the dollar costs of problems such as impaired cognitive function and increased health risks like hypertension and preterm birth, compared to the cost of mitigating lead. The EPA estimated the rule’s annual health benefits at $645 million, with an implementation cost of $335 million, resulting in a benefit-to-cost ratio of 2 to 1.

Levin attributes the speed of change to the Biden Administration’s focus on lead, as well as her deep understanding of the EPA. She expressed astonishment that the EPA agreed to such an ambitious goal after her past work at the EPA in the 1980s involved a cost-benefit analysis of lead in drinking water, which revealed that a fifth of Americans were consuming unsafe levels of lead in their water. This analysis played a significant role in the development of a 1991 rule aimed at reducing lead and copper in drinking water.

Levin emphasizes that enacting rules alone is not sufficient; she stresses the importance of effective implementation and enforcement. While she is pleased with the new rule, she points out that little progress will be made without these crucial components in place.

In conclusion, Ronnie Levin’s tireless efforts have led to a monumental change for American public health by driving a plan to replace all country’s lead pipes within this next decade. Her research has shown that addressing lead can save billions annually both in health benefits and infrastructure costs while also improving cognitive function and decreasing risk factors for hypertension and preterm birth among Americans who consume contaminated drinking water.

However, implementing such changes require more than just passing laws; it requires efficient execution and enforcement mechanisms put into place by responsible agencies like EPA.

As we look forward to this upcoming change, it’s essential to recognize Levin’s dedication towards advocating for lead mitigation throughout her career while using data from previous studies conducted by herself along with other experts at Harvard T H Chan School Of Public Health’s Department Of Environmental Health