Massachusetts Homeowners Will Get Help To Get Lead Out Of Drinking Water
BOSTON (CBS) – Help is on the way for thousands of Massachusetts homeowners who could have lead in their drinking water.
The White House released an action plan on Thursday making billions of dollars available to states to help homeowners remove lead from their homes.
The most recent data from the state estimated 22,000 residences have lead in the pipes that carry water into their homes. Cities and towns are responsible for the pipe up to a homeowner's property line, but the homeowner has to pay to replace the pipe from the property line into the home, which can cost thousands of dollars.
The federal money will be available to help communities cover some of that cost.
"In the United States, clean water has to be a right. With the CDC, we are going to be helping identify where those lead pipes are because if you can't find them, you can't fix them," said White House Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy.
The plan could also help create maps that show where most lead service lines are located.
The money will be put to work through state and federal agencies and will aslo help homeowners remove lead paint, which is found in many homes built before 1978.