Having worked in this area, I can say that &quot;incompetence and corruption&quot; is an intellectually lazy explanation for the problems facing municipal water supplies. The real problem is that water is a municipal utility and municipal rate setting boards set water rates far too low. There is simply not enough money to rip out all the old lead pipe and replace it: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;m.huffpost.com&#x2F;us&#x2F;entry&#x2F;clean-water-at-any-rate_b_504263.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;m.huffpost.com&#x2F;us&#x2F;entry&#x2F;clean-water-at-any-rate_b_504...</a>. It&#x27;s politically untenable for water boards to raise rates, especially since water bills are not progressive (seniors and the poor pay the same rate as rich people).