LSL Policy Lowdown: July 20–26, 2026
🔎Legislative Scanner
Check out EPIC's legislative scanner to keep track of all the state LSL bills worth keeping an eye on.
Federal Updates
EPA announced $30 million to Support Small Systems
EPA announced $30 million in grant funding through the Real Water Technical Assistance Initiative to help small and rural systems comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act, including support for lead service line inventories.
EPIC’s take: 👏Much needed support for small systems. As a technical assistance (TA) provider, EPIC knows firsthand that small and rural systems face unique capacity challenges that funding alone can’t solve. We appreciate EPA’s continued investment in TA but would have liked to see LSL replacement —not just inventories—called out more explicitly to ensure communities have support throughout the entire replacement process.
The House Proposes a Broader Approach to Reducing Lead Exposure
The House introduced HR 9836 which would amend both the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Act, aiming to better coordinate efforts to lead exposure in homes. Key proposed changes to SDWA include:
Shifting to a broader "covered service lines" definition that includes lead service lines and galvanized lines requiring replacement.
Allowing EPA to consider elevated blood lead levels and housing lead hazards (e.g., age of housing stock) when prioritizing funding.
Mandating coordination between LSL replacement and other lead remediation programs (e.g., lead paint remediation)
Authorizing EPA to provide TA and implementation support for activities such as inventories, planning & design, customer outreach and consent, and funding applications.
EPIC’s take: 👀Bold move Cotton, let’s see if it pays off. How far this bill will go remains to be seen, but it introduces some interesting ideas. We especially like the move to include factors like age of housing to set funding priorities—which could help direct resources to communities where they are needed most, faster—as well as the proposed expansion of TA.
We are generally on board with the concept of coordinating lead paint and drinking water programs, though implementation remains a major question mark given the distinct agencies, funding streams, and regulatory frameworks involved. Regardless, this bill raises an important conversation about adopting a more holistic approach to reducing lead exposure.
Local Updates
🏆Wins
Trenton, NJ surpasses 11,000 LSL replacements. In addition to reaching this milestone, the city highlighted two ordinances that helped fast-track projects: mandatory replacement and no direct cost to homeowners.
EPIC’s take: 👍An example of automatic enrollment policies in action. Requiring replacement while removing direct costs to homeowners helped boost participation and made it possible to complete replacements faster and more efficiently. As Trenton works to remove its remaining 19,000 lead and galvanized service lines, we hope the city continues building on this progress by adopting additional automatic enrollment policies to reduce costs and streamline program enrollment.
💡Spotlight
Jamestown, ND is taking a creating approach to covering private-side replacement. The city is launching its LSL replacement program and plans to cover private-side costs by combining loan forgiveness and special assessments.
EPIC’s take: 👍Strategic funding and financing helps reduce financial burdens on homeowners. While eliminating homeowner costs entirely is the best way to maximize participation, this isn’t always feasible. Jamestown shows how stacking funding and financing strategically can reduce upfront costs, spread payments over time, and make full LSL replacement more affordable.
Want to learn more?
Visit EPIC's LSL Policy Lowdown page, LSL Replacement Initiative page, and our Lead Innovation Hub.
