EPA announces $2.9B to remove lead and PFAS from drinking water

Americans’ drinking water may get cleaner after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted $2.9 billion to remove lead and $1 billion to remove other dangerous toxins from water systems across the country, according to a Wednesday press release.

“An investment in removing lead pipes is an investment in America’s children and families,” EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jess Kramer said in a statement. “The Trump EPA is committed to tackling lead exposure and this $2.9 billion will help protect current and future generations across America by accelerating local efforts to find and replace toxic lead pipes.”

Lead, a neurotoxin found in most pipes constructed before 1986, can seep into water when these pipes corrode, according to the EPA. Consuming the toxic metal can deteriorate the brain and nervous system and is especially dangerous for children or pregnant women.

The EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) will distribute federal funding to states and local water companies, according to the EPA’s press release. The funds will assist states in locating, removing and replacing lead pipe and service lines.

This week, the EPA also granted $1 billion for continued research and removal of a group of chemicals known as PFAS – synthetic chemicals that can be found in water. The grant will specifically support small or disadvantaged communities across America, according to another EPA press release.

The EPA allotted $480,000 to Missouri to remove lead piping from schools and childcare facilities in June 2025. Wednesday’s national funding will expand last year’s bill to benefit Missouri residents in both residential and commercial settings, according to the EPA.

“Protecting communities from lead exposure is a regional priority,” EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Macy said in a statement. “Our states will use these funds to get the lead out and improve drinking water infrastructure throughout the Heartland.”