More than 100 organizations recently participated in a White House Summit with Vice President Kamala Harris to establish the new Get the Lead Out Partnership. Partners committed to seven principles geared toward speeding up the replacement of lead water pipes across the nation.

Key principles call for accelerating the full replacement of lead pipes from street to house, prioritizing replacements in overburdened and underserved communities, and ensuring that residents get new water lines without added financial burdens.

Harris convened the White House Summit on Lead Pipe Replacement with a group of mayors and founding partners and emphasized the administration’s commitment to supporting full replacement of all lead pipes within 10 years. Watch a video of the event here.

Lead pipe replacement funding is available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in late 2021. By 2026, more than $15 billion will flow to states and local water utilities, bringing both safer drinking water to millions of Americans and jobs for workers in affected communities.

The U.S. EPA estimates that 9 million lead pipes currently deliver drinking water into homes and businesses across the country, putting millions at risk. Children, particularly in low-income communities and communities of color, experience the greatest burden from lead exposure.