waterloop #29: John Deignan on Working Toward Lead Free in DC

John Deignan is Lead Free DC Program Manager at DC Water. In this episode John says there are more than 20,000 lead drinking water lines on private property in Washington, DC and the utility’s new program provides funding for replacement and requires disclosure of lead by landlords and property sellers. He discusses the financial and logistical challenges of replacing lead lines and how DC Water built an online searchable map using historical records. John also explains that lead lines for drinking water are an environmental justice issue and that a report by American University and the Environmental Defense Fund found that programs relying on customers to pay to have their lead pipe fully replaced put low-income and African American households at greater risk of lead exposure.