Summary:
- Lead contamination in water is a serious problem across North Carolina
- Historic federal investments in infrastructure present an opportunity for dealing with lead pipes
- Investments in Helene recovery must include ending the region’s lead contamination
Among the many infrastructure challenges North Carolina faces, few are as urgent, or as solvable, as the widespread presence of lead in our drinking water. While lead contamination has been a problem for decades, a perfect storm of newfound political will, federal funding, and urgent need in the wake of Hurricane Helene has created a unique moment to finally address this critical public health threat. In the coming budget cycle, the North Carolina General Assembly should seize this moment to protect our state’s children for generations to come.
The Poison in Our Pipes
Lead is toxic to humans, and particularly so for children’s developing brains. There is no safe level of lead exposure – even tiny amounts can cause permanent cognitive damage, behavioral problems, and reduced IQ. Yet North Carolina ranks among the states with the highest number of lead service lines still in use. Although Congress banned the use of leaded pipe and solder in new plumbing systems back in 1986, millions of water service lines still in use today predate the ban. The EPA estimates that 9.2 million lead service lines are still in service across the U.S.
Here in North Carolina, lead contamination in water service lines is widespread. Contamination is particularly bad in Winston-Salem, though many counties down east and in the west are badly affected as well, leading to slightly higher per-capita lead contamination burdens in both regions:
Nor are water service lines the only threat from lead contamination. Testing has also revealed dangerous levels of lead in schools and childcare centers across the state. While some local water utilities have taken steps to reduce lead levels through chemical treatment, these are temporary fixes that don’t address the root cause. The only permanent solution is to physically replace these leaded pipes that cause the contamination.
Fortunately, a rare combination of political will and federal funding has now made that permanent solution closer than ever to reality.
A Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity
For the first time in American history, the federal government has committed to remove lead pipes from America’s water systems, and backed it up with the funding necessary to do it. Under the Biden administration, the Environmental Protection Agency has required all water utilities to replace lead service lines within the next decade. Critically, the Biden administration backed up this commitment with real resources: billions of dollars of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law were earmarked specifically for lead pipe replacement. North Carolina alone has already received $250 million in funding, with much more still available for local governments to use.
Thus far, North Carolina’s state legislature has not invested significantly in lead pipe replacement, and mostly limited its involvement to allocating federal dollars through the Lead Service Line Replacement program in the Department of Environmental Quality. But the state could – and should – do far more. Other states have launched aggressive matching programs to accelerate lead pipe replacement, recognizing that every dollar spent now prevents much larger costs down the road. From reduced healthcare and special education spending to increased lifetime earnings, the economic benefits of preventing lead poisoning are well-documented and substantial.
Given North Carolina’s urgent need to rebuild infrastructure, particularly in Western counties recovering from Helene, now is the time to do the job right.
Western Carolina’s Urgent Need
The devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina has created both a crisis and an opportunity. As the state embarks on what will surely be a multi-billion dollar recovery effort, there is an opportunity to make generational investments that will benefit Western North Carolina’s children for decades to come by ending lead contamination forever.
Western North Carolina already carried a disproportionate burden of lead service lines, many dating back to the early 20th century. As local communities now embark on rebuilding their water systems in Helene’s wake, often entailing large-scale upgrades to water infrastructure, it would be nothing short of negligent not to replace aging lead pipes with modern ones. Even better, thanks to the Biden administration’s infrastructure investments, the federal government stands ready with funds to help get the job done. This means significant cost savings to North Carolina taxpayers at just the right time.
The legislature has already committed $644 million to storm recovery, with much more certain to come in the 2025-2026 state budget. Removing lead from the region’s service lines and school systems is among the best investments the state could make with those resources – and then scaling the same initiative statewide.
Good policy makes for good politics
Replacing lead service lines isn’t just the right thing to do morally – it’s also smart policy, and even smarter fiscal management. The economic benefits of preventing lead poisoning are well-documented: higher IQs, better educational outcomes, reduced healthcare costs, and increased lifetime earnings. One study estimated that every dollar invested in lead pipe replacement returns three dollars in cumulative savings – a 300% return on investment.
In a time of deteriorating faith in public health, ending lead contamination in water remains one of the few topics with wide-ranging support. It affects rural and urban communities alike. North Carolina’s state legislature should seize this moment to finally solve this decades-old problem. With federal funding available and urgent infrastructure needs, particularly in western counties, there will never be a better time to liberate North Carolina’s children from contaminated water. Our children’s futures – and our state’s – depend on making the right choice.
