Lawmakers Seek to Remove Lead from Tap Water U.S. lawmakers have
introduced a bill to eliminate lead in the nation's drinking
water supply after high levels of the toxic metal were found in
the capital's tap water. The Lead-Free Drinking Water Act,
introduced in the Senate and the House of Representatives
yesterday, would require utilities across the country to test
their water immediately, and sets stricter standards for
notifying customers of problems. It also would provide $200
million a year for four years to utilities to help them meet new
tougher standards for replacing lead service lines, believed to
be a main source of lead in drinking water. "It is time to get
the lead out of the pipes, out of the water and out of our
families and out of our lives," said Vermont Sen. James
Jeffords, a bill co-sponsor and an independent member of the
Environment and Public Works Committee. The Environmental
Protection Agency estimates the United States needs to spend
$265 billion over the next 20 years to maintain and