Sixty-one House representatives sent a bipartisan letter yesterday to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In that letter they demanded that the EPA tighten and modernize their regulations. Hooray! As ThinkProgress points out, this strong stance comes just one day after some of the signatories had their offices closed due to high levels of lead prompted a water shutoff in the Cannon House Office Building.
The letter urges the EPA to update the Lead and Copper Rule, the regulation meant to keep the U.S.’s drinking water free from lead contamination, so that the threshold for action is lower. Currently, if a water system finds that at least 10 percent of homes tested show levels of lead at 15 parts per billion, steps have to be taken to reduce it, including replacing lead service lines and improving the use of corrosion control measures to keep lead from leeching from pipes into water.
That action level was established in 1991 in line with the best science of the time and what was considered feasible. But, as the letter notes, “Corrosion control technologies and our understanding of the negative impacts of lead at low doses have advanced significantly since that time.” As it points out, the World Health Organization and European Union Council Directive have adopted action levels of 10 parts per billion.
Wouldn't it be nice if they spent that "vacation" time actually meeting with constituents to find out how they can improve the lives of citizens? Starting with clean drinking water in their own districts? Just saying.