Chicago Is Way Behind On Replacing Lead Pipes

03/07/2025 19 min
Chicago Is Way Behind On Replacing Lead Pipes

Listen "Chicago Is Way Behind On Replacing Lead Pipes"

Episode Synopsis

Chicago has more lead water pipes than most U.S. cities, and nearly two-thirds of children under 6 are exposed to lead in drinking water. Efforts to make the city's water lead-free have been sluggish. A Biden-era mandate requires cities to replace 20,000 lead pipes a year by 2027. Chicago is set to replace less than half of that number this year, and estimates suggest the city’s water systems won’t be lead-free until 2076. Reset discusses with Inside Climate News reporter Keerti Gopal, WBEZ environment reporter Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco and Natural Resources Defense Council senior policy advocate Chakena Perry.

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