principle 1

Everyone deserves access to safe, affordable drinking water, regardless of income, race, or ethnicity.

• Because lead-bearing plumbing is pervasive, lead-contaminated drinking water threatens people in communities of all stripes across the country. However, individuals and families facing deep economic and societal disadvantages have few or no resources to respond to the problem of lead in drinking water. Programs to protect the public should therefore prioritize low-income and non-English speaking communities as well as communities of color.
   
• Public outreach regarding lead in drinking water is inadequate and commonly includes misleading assertions of safety. Instead, water utilities and states should focus public education on providing clear, accurate information about how lead enters drinking water and  how that can best be prevented; how to properly install and maintain water filters; how to work with the water utility to remove lead pipes; and how to obtain medical advice and treatment after consuming lead in water.