In a historic first for the country, the Environmental Protection Agency last month ordered the replacement of lead pipes in drinking water systems within the next 10 years to combat toxic exposure that has endangered public health for decades.
The mandate could be a game-changer for cities like Gary, which struggles with aging infrastructure and economic disparities that intensify the dangers of lead exposure. With over two-thirds of Indiana’s estimated 55,000 lead service lines in Northwest Indiana, Gary is poised to benefit significantly from the $42.7 million in federal funding allocated to the state.
“We have to get lead paint out of the housing,” said Alan Walts, director of the Environmental Justice, Community Health and Environmental Review Division at the EPA. “We still have a lot of work that we need to be doing together to reduce sources of lead exposure.”
Here’s why the pipes are being removed, an overview of the plan for the removal and an explanation of what it will cost.
Why are Gary’s lead pipes being removed?
The Biden-Harris administration’s updated Lead and Copper Rule calls for drinking water systems to find and replace lead pipes in schools, homes, and water mains within the next 10 years. The rule also tightens water testing and lowers the acceptable level of lead in drinking water.
The EPA estimates that this rule will reduce the lead exposures of up to nearly 1.2 million people every year and at least 178,000 children.
Lead can be a harmful neurotoxin that can have severe mental and physical development impacts in children, including brain damage and delayed development. In adults, lead can cause increased blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function, and cancer.
A 2024 Fair Housing report found that 57% of Black people in Indiana live in housing units built before 1980, when hazards like asbestos and lead paint were used to build houses. This makes areas like Gary, which has dozens of abandoned, older housing stock, much more susceptible to these toxic exposures.
Who is removing Gary’s lead pipes?
Indiana American Water, the state’s primary water utility company that serves more than 1 million residents, including 250,000 customers in Gary and Northwest Indiana, has an active lead service line replacement project.
“American Water is currently reviewing the final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements and agrees that removing the risk of customer-side lead service lines over time is the right thing to do for the health, safety and peace of mind of our customers,” an IAW spokesperson told Capital B Gary, adding that IAW has been replacing lead service lines in Gary since 2017.
A map from Indiana American Water shows state-funded lead service line replacement projects in Gary extend across the city’s east and west sides, stretching along Broadway between 20th and 11th avenues.
When will they finish the removal?
According to the IAW spokesperson, there are an estimated 55,000 lead service lines across the entire state, with about two-thirds of those, or approximately 36,000, located in Northwest Indiana. Currently, there are three ongoing projects, totaling approximately $30 million, in Northwest Indiana that are expected to be completed next year. Indiana American Water offers an interactive tracker that lets residents identify and report lead service lines.
How much will it cost?
However, as lead service line replacements continue, the price may be stretching the pockets of low-income communities already overburdened by exposures. Earlier this year, Indiana American Water raised its rates, resulting in an additional $12 per month for customers by next year. This increase adds another financial strain for many Gary residents, whose average annual income is less than $40,000 and includes many who live on fixed incomes.
Pulling folded papers out of her drawer, Nancy Johnson recalled when her water and sewage bills were around $100 per month for her two-person household. For nearly 50 years, she and her husband managed their expenses on their retirement income. But since their lead service lines were replaced, she has noticed a $50 increase in her monthly sewage bills — a change she’s sure is affecting others, too.
“It just started once we had the lines switched over, so this has really been an unexpected cost,” she said. “We’re retired and don’t go anywhere, so we can handle it, but it was really a shocker.”
If utility rates continue to increase, Johnson said many Gary residents like her who are on fixed incomes will be stretched to the limit, once again having to prioritize risking their health over their finances.
“It’s probably going to be more difficult for those who have children and who have lower incomes. Because if you have children, you’re already low income. I don’t care if you make $100,000. Children cost a lot of money. Or if you’re retired, and only have one [kid], if you’re on Social Security, it really kills you.”