October 8, 2026

Today, the Protect Kids From Lead Coalition released a new report finding that 231 community water systems serving more than 2.17 million people reported elevated levels of lead in drinking water since January 2025. The findings span communities across the country and come as FY26 marks the final year of supplemental funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), including $3 billion specifically for lead service line replacement.

With communities continuing the work of replacing lead service lines, PKFL is calling on Congress to sustain federal investment in drinking water infrastructure and lead service line replacement.

“These numbers make one thing clear: lead in drinking water is not a problem we’ve solved – it’s a problem communities across the country are still actively working to address,” said Mae Stevens, Executive Director of the Protect Kids From Lead Coalition. “As communities move forward with lead pipe replacement, Congress has an opportunity to ensure that progress continues by sustaining the federal investment upon which families and communities are counting.”

Read the full report and explore the state-by-state data here: