Congress has passed (click here) a number of laws related to lead. These laws address lead in paint, dust and soil; lead in the air; lead in water; and disposal of lead wastes. EPA is addressing lead contamination and resulting hazards under these laws in many ways, including by issuing and enforcing regulations. EPA also helps the regulated community understand the federal requirements with policy and guidance documents to assist in complying with the regulations....
Any municipality who introduced changes in their water filtration and treatment regime would have to obtain a permit to allow substances such as lead to pass through pipelines of potable water. These permits are federally issued and requires the public to be notified of such procedures to protect them from ingestion of poisons. In the case of changing treatments from chlorine to a different chemical that would result in interaction with pipes containing lead the people would have had to be notified of when the new compound would be used including how long the water would not be safe to drink or cook with.
This is not overbearing. Communities across the USA have successfully changed their water treatment regime without increasing lead levels in children.
There is a reason why federal regulations exist. Maintaining the safety of citizens is one of them.
The comprehensive agreement regarding Flint cannot continue to violate federal regulations.
The CWA (Clean Water Act) prohibits anyone from discharging pollutants, including lead, through a point source into a water of the United States unless they have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. NPDES permits contain limits on what you can discharge, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that the discharge does not hurt water quality or people's health. As appropriate, NPDES permits must contain:Any municipality who introduced changes in their water filtration and treatment regime would have to obtain a permit to allow substances such as lead to pass through pipelines of potable water. These permits are federally issued and requires the public to be notified of such procedures to protect them from ingestion of poisons. In the case of changing treatments from chlorine to a different chemical that would result in interaction with pipes containing lead the people would have had to be notified of when the new compound would be used including how long the water would not be safe to drink or cook with.
What is NPDES? (click here)
The NPDES permit program addresses water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the United States.
Created in 1972 by the Clean Water Act, the NPDES permit program is authorized to state governments by EPA to perform many permitting, administrative, and enforcement aspects of the program....
Created in 1972 by the Clean Water Act, the NPDES permit program is authorized to state governments by EPA to perform many permitting, administrative, and enforcement aspects of the program....
This is not overbearing. Communities across the USA have successfully changed their water treatment regime without increasing lead levels in children.
There is a reason why federal regulations exist. Maintaining the safety of citizens is one of them.
