CHICAGO (AP) — President Joe Biden’s proposal to get rid of every lead water pipe in the country could have huge ramifications. That’s especially true in communities where a large number of Black, Latino, and low-income residents have been left effectively drinking from a lead straw.
The problem persists decades after scientists established that lead consumption is unsafe at any level.
Biden announced the pipe proposal as part of his $2.3 trillion infrastructure package.
There are few, if any, cities across the country where the issue resonates more than in Chicago. The city is estimated to have some 380,000 lead pipes bringing water into homes, schools, and businesses.
