The EPA Should Better Prepare to Implement Public Notification Requirements When Lead in Drinking Water Poses Serious Risks to Human Health

Why We Did This Report The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General initiated this audit based on a request from the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The objective of the audit is to assess the EPA’s preparation to implement the public notification requirements under section 2106 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act. Summary of Findings At the time of our audit, the EPA was not ready to comply with the public notification requirements under section 2106 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act. Although the Office of Water reported that it was in the process of developing a strategy, it had not developed a plan or milestones or provided guidance to help EPA regions, states, and water systems to be ready to comply with the notification requirements by the compliance date of October 16, 2024. The Office of Water also does not receive data in a timely manner to monitor lead ALE, oversee water systems’ compliance with the notification requirements, and provide the notices if water systems and states have not done so. Based on tap water samples reported in the EPA’s tracking system from January 2021 through March 2023, we identified 498 water systems with lead ALE, serving about 2.3 million people. With millions of people potentially affected by lead ALE, water systems, states, and the EPA must be ready to comply by October 2024.