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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, There is no safe blood lead level identified for
3children, and even low levels have been shown to affect IQ, the
4ability to pay attention, and academic achievement; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Recent studies have suggested that low-level lead
6exposure in adults is associated with cardiovascular disease
7and other health conditions; higher levels exponentially
8increase that risk; and
 
9    WHEREAS, In October 2018, the Illinois Department of Public
10Health reported that more than 7,000 Illinois children had
11blood lead levels greater than the intervention level
12recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
13Prevention; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
15estimates that the State has more than 400,000 lead service
16lines, with an additional 1.5 million lines that may be leaded;
17and
 
18    WHEREAS, The City of Chicago required the use of lead
19service lines for pipes up to two inches until Congress banned
20their use in 1986; in the City of Chicago, there are an
21estimated 385,000 lead service lines, including unknown

 

 

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1materials that are likely to be lead; this is an amount that is
2three times more than any other city in the United States; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The Environmental Defense Fund reports that 53
4communities in the United States have publicly set a goal to
5eliminate lead service lines; 36 communities have taken the
6initial steps toward replacement, and six communities have
7completed replacement programs; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Lead service lines, the lead pipe that connects
9the main under the street to a home, day care facility, or
10other building, is the dominant source of lead in drinking
11water for buildings that have these lines; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Lead service lines are commonly found with aging
13water mains that need to be replaced or repaired, and those
14activities have been shown to significantly increase lead in
15drinking water if the lead service line is disturbed and not
16fully replaced; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Such maintenance and repair programs, along with
18the associated increased risk of lead exposure that results,
19may disproportionately impact minority and low-income
20residents, many of whom are already at a greater risk of lead
21exposure from lead-based paint hazards and contaminated soil;
22and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, In April of 2016, the American Water Works
2Association, the professional society for drinking water
3utilities, stated its support for replacing all lead service
4lines over time as a broad societal commitment; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Any lead service line replacement plan must
6address lead exposure risk in underserved communities; and
 
7    WHEREAS, When making decisions and setting priorities
8regarding the identification, planning, and implementation of
9lead service line replacement programs in underserved
10communities, the input and inclusion of impacted residents and
11community organizations must be included; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Many Illinois residents lack confidence in the
13safety and quality of their drinking water; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The public deserves a concrete plan for the
15elimination of lead service lines for drinking water;
16therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
18HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
19we urge every Illinois municipality that utilizes lead service
20lines to develop a plan to minimize the risk of lead exposure

 

 

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1to its residents by developing a plan consisting of short and
2long-term steps to fully eliminate lead pipes from its drinking
3water systems; and be it further
 
4    RESOLVED, That the process of lead service line replacement
5presents significant environmental justice concerns, and
6municipal initiatives must service consumers in an equitable
7manner without regard to income, race, or ethnicity; and be it
8further
 
9    RESOLVED, That any plan for the removal of lead service
10lines must prioritize reducing exposure to children and
11appropriately address the needs of low-income and underserved
12communities in particular; a plan should also identify and
13develop opportunities to designate resources for the removal
14and replacement of lead service lines, including within any
15capitol improvement plan, relevant grant programs, and any
16other available funding source.