Congressman Krishnamoorthi Unveils SAFE Taps Act to Replace Lead Pipes with Federal Grants, Protect Children’s Health, and Create Good-Paying Jobs

ELMWOOD PARK, IL — Joined by Elmwood Park Mayor Angelo “Skip” Saviano, mayors from the West Central Municipal Conference, and local labor leaders, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) today announced the Safe and Fair Elimination of Taps with Lead Service Lines (SAFE Taps) Act, legislation to replace dangerous lead and galvanized service lines and non-lead-free mains with federal EPA grants instead of loans. Illinois has more than 660,000 lead service lines — the most of any state in the country. In the Chicago area, approximately 412,000 pipes are known or suspected to contain lead. At the current pace of replacement, the work is not expected to be completed until 2076.

“Replacing lead service lines isn’t just about infrastructure—it’s about protecting families,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Every day that these pipes remain in the ground is another day children and parents risk exposure to a toxin that endangers their health. And as we replace them, we’ll be mobilizing skilled tradesmen and tradeswomen building the safe, modern systems every community deserves. Illinois families deserve clean, safe water in their homes, and we can’t wait another generation to make that a reality.”

The SAFE Taps Act creates a dedicated EPA grant program for:

• Replacing lead service lines and galvanized/iron lines downstream of lead;
• Replacing drinking water mains that are not lead-free;
• Planning/design, service-line inventories, and full site restoration; and
• Ensuring Davis–Bacon prevailing wages for workers on funded projects

“Municipalities with millions of residents across the country are plagued with thousands of miles of lead pipes that supply drinking water to countless homes, as well as aging water mains that also need replacement,” Mayor Saviano, Chairman of the Legislative Committee of the West Central Municipal Conference, said. “The SAFE Taps Act will provide funding to set us on course to replace these lines and ensure that our communities have safe drinking water for generations to come. “The potential for lead poisoning is something we’re reminded of each time we fill a pot with water to make pasta or give our children a drink from the kitchen tap,” Saviano said. “I commend Congressman Krishnamoorthi for this legislation and look forward to working with him to see it become law.”

“ACEC Illinois strongly supports Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s Safe Taps Act. Illinois has some of the highest concentrations of lead service lines in the country, and communities cannot meet this challenge without long-term federal investment,” AKevin Artl, President and CEO of ACEC Illinois, said. “This legislation provides the funding and planning support needed not only to replace lead pipes but to strengthen the entire water infrastructure system that delivers safe, clean water to families. We applaud Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s leadership and stand ready to help advance these critical improvements for Illinois communities.”

“The National Association of Minority Contractors Chicago proudly supports Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s SAFE Taps Act, a vital investment in public health, infrastructure equity, and economic opportunity,” Curtis L. Thompson, President NAMC Chicago, said. “By fully funding the removal of lead service lines and prioritizing communities most impacted by toxic water systems, this legislation advances long-overdue environmental justice. The Act also creates significant contracting and workforce development opportunities for minority-owned firms while ensuring fair labor standards through Davis–Bacon protections. NAMC stands ready to partner with federal, state, and local leaders to deliver safe drinking water, good jobs, and sustainable infrastructure in communities across the country.”

"For decades, the communities with the highest concentration of lead pipes have carried the greatest burden of contaminated water,” State Rep. Norma Hernandez said. “And yet, studies continue to show that these same communities are the least likely to be tested, even though they are the most likely to be exposed. I want to thank Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi for understanding the urgency of replacing lead pipes, and for bringing this legislation forward. " 

“Replacing aging lead pipes places an enormous burden on homeowners of older houses and on disadvantaged municipalities that were only following building codes of the time,” Cook County Commissioner Maggie Trevor said. “This new bill, co-sponsored by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, will help ease this burden and helps our homeowners mitigate a threat to the health of their children.” 

"Replacing lead pipes is not optional—it’s essential,” Iyana Simba, City Government Affairs Director at Illinois Environmental Council, said. “Nearly 350,000 children in Illinois are at risk of lead exposure today, and 65% of Black and Latinx Illinoisans live in communities with 94% of the known lead lines. We have state and federal laws in place. We have the urgency. Now we need the federal investment to match.”