EPA estimates more than 200,000 lead pipes remain in Missouri

More than 200,000 lead service pipes carry drinking water to Missouri families, according to a new estimate from the Environmental Protection Agency.

New lead water pipes have been banned for more than 30 years. But the EPA estimates that 9.2 million American households still get their water through aging lead pipes.

Just over 2% of those are in Missouri, ranking the state 14th in the country for its number of lead service lines. The EPA announced Tuesday that the state would get $106.4 million to update its water infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The EPA’s regional administrator, Meghan McCollister, said in a news release that the funds would go to “ensure that Missourians have access to clean drinking water.”

“Missouri’s investments through this fund will aid in securing needed resources to address critical infrastructure needs, threats to drinking water systems such as lead pipes, and emerging contaminants such as (forever chemicals).”