lead pipes

The $6.4 million grant will go toward renovating about 170 Kansas City homes in low-income, minority neighborhoods next year.

The EPA is trying to crack down on lead pipes that bring water into homes. But a looming deadline — and the election — will determine if it follows a Biden plan to replace pipes or a Trump plan. In Olathe, the city is using a patchwork of funding to replace lines at no cost to property owners.

The statewide effort to clean up drinking water was prompted by a 2022 Missouri law, and more than $27 million has been set aside to fix the problems.

The EPA announced a proposed update to the lead and copper rule strengthening President Joe Biden’s earlier goal of eradicating lead pipes.

The state will get $106.4 million for water infrastructure upgrades through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.