Removing Michigan’s Lead Water Service Lines: Economic Savings, Health Benefits, And Improved Health Equity

Michigan’s revised Lead and Copper Rule requires water utilities to inventory existing water service lines by 2025 and replace all lead-containing lines by 2041. This published cost-benefit analysis estimates that replacing 423,479 lead service lines in Michigan would reduce lead exposure for 420,800 newborns, resulting in $3.24 billion in economic savings, health benefits, and improved health equity with a net savings of $1.91 billion. More importantly, we found that the faster we replace lead service lines, the greater the societal return on investment.  

Read the article here published in Health Affairs, August 2023.

I encourage you to share this article with your network and join the conversation on social media using the hashtags #gettheleadout and #safedrinkingwater. Your participation amplifies the impact of these critical discussions.