The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is facing scrutiny for potentially misallocating nearly $1 billion in lead pipe replacement funding due to inaccurate data provided by Texas and Florida. The EPA's Office of Inspector General raised concerns that this misallocation could result in delays or reduced funding for states with significant lead pipe replacement needs.
The issue stems from a survey conducted by the EPA to estimate the number of lead pipes in each state, as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's $15 billion allocation for lead pipe replacement. However, the EPA did not verify the data provided by states, leading to discrepancies in funding allocations.
