The Environmental Protection Agency proposed a new rule Thursday aimed at strengthening its existing lead and copper pipe standards as part of the administration’s goal of lowering unsafe pollution levels and protecting vulnerable people from exposure to harmful drinking water.

The proposed rule, previewed by EPA officials Wednesday, would accelerate the Biden administration’s goal of achieving 100% lead pipe replacement within the next 10 years.

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It is meant to improve tap water sampling, lowering the so-called lead action level from 15 micrograms per liter to 10 micrograms per liter, and to strengthen efforts to locate and replace legacy lead pipes.

It would also improve communication between water systems and local communities, officials said, to help communicate any risks of lead exposure and the actions being taken to help reduce community exposure, administration officials said.

"Getting the lead out means healthier children and healthier adults," EPA Administrator Michael Regan told reporters. "It means less hospital visits and lower healthcare costs. And it means good paying jobs in our overburdened and underserved communities all across the country."

"Every day, we are one step closer to a 100% lead-free future for all, and our agency will not rest until we make this dream a reality," Regan added.

Lead pipe exposure remains a pervasive problem for millions of people. Despite being banned from new construction in the 1980s, over 9 million lead service lines in the country are still delivering water to communities nationwide.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated roughly $50 billion in funds to upgrade U.S. drinking water infrastructure, including $15 billion that the law dedicates solely to replacing lead service lines.

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"The bottom line is lead poisoning is preventable," White House Council on Environmental Quality Chairwoman Brenda Mallory told reporters on a call announcing the proposed rule. "This is a problem we can and will solve to save more children and families from facing it."

The new efforts come after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its definition of lead poisoning for young children in 2021 to reflect the consensus that even exposure to microscopic amounts of lead can be dangerous, putting them at risk for brain damage, stunted growth, or developmental problems.