Millions of Americans still get their drinking water from lead pipes
Why a century-old problem seems so hard to fix
OVER A CENTURY has passed since the dangers of consuming lead became widely known. Ingesting even small quantities damages young brains and may raise the risk of heart problems. Yet residents of Chicago—and many other cities—still mostly swig from taps fed by lead pipes. About 400,000 lead service lines connect to the mains in the Windy City, linking about four in five of all houses there. One study of nearly 3,000 homes, two years ago, found two-thirds had elevated levels of lead in their water.
This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “With the lead piping”
United States December 5th 2020
- America’s economic recovery no longer looks so strong
- How much does a few billion dollars get you in 2020?
- Congress edges closer to cracking-down on anonymous shell corporations
- Millions of Americans still get their drinking water from lead pipes
- America’s intelligence agencies prepare for life after Trump
- Jake Sullivan to the rescue
From the December 5th 2020 edition
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