Get the Lead Out Initiative

What is the GLO Initiative? 

Is your community a part of GLO?  Find out which communities are Getting the Lead Out. 

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government effort to tackle lead exposure, EPA aims to help states and communities get access to water infrastructure funding and eliminate potential barriers to lead pipe removal. The Get the Lead Out (GLO) Initiative takes lessons learned and best practices from the Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) Accelerators pilot program and will work to expand LSLR WaterTA to approximately 200 additional underserved and disadvantaged communities.  The objective of the GLO Initiative is to accelerate the removal of lead pipes where it’s needed most, help connect more communities to historic federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and move our country closer to President Biden’s goal of getting 100% of lead pipes out of water systems once and for all. The GLO initiative is funded entirely by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

What kind of actions will the GLO Initiative support? 

EPA will work with communities to get the lead out by supporting the development of:

  • LSL Inventories that meet 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions requirements deadline. An LSL Inventory is necessary to fully identify the funding needs of the community.
  • Community Engagement Plans that invite community input, provide educational resources, and meaningfully engage affected community members while identifying and replacing LSLs
  • Lead Service Line Replacement Plans to provide each municipality a roadmap for 100% identification and full replacement of all LSLs, including public and private portions
  • State Revolving Fund (SRF) Applications to help communities fund their service line replacement. Each recipient of this technical assistance will receive a customized plan to facilitate their work with the state.

Additionally, EPA will develop tools and case studies to share information and best practices between the Agency, state and Tribal programs, water system managers, and community leaders.

How can my community request to participate in the GLO Initiative? 

Communities can request LSLR technical assistance from the GLO Initiative and other WaterTA providers by completing the request form at:https://www.epa.gov/water-infrastructure/forms/water-technical-assistance-request-form

What can a GLO community expect?

The GLO initiative can assist water systems with a range of lead service line related activities, including the development of a service line inventory, community engagement plan, LSL replacement plan, and SRF funding application with active involvement from the community. Equipped with customized replacement plans and funding, the water systems in GLO communities will be able coordinate the LSL replacement.  The GLO Initiative will help communities nationwide address barriers to lead pipe removal by providing tools, best practices, and peer exchange and learning. Additionally, the technical assistance provided by the Initiative will give each municipality a roadmap for identification and full replacement of all LSLs, including public and private portions. 

Which communities are eligible for support from EPA’s GLO Initiative?

Communities of any size with lead service lines or services lines with unknown materials in their distribution system and that are served by a State Revolving Fund (SRF) eligible public water system may be considered to receive technical assistance through EPA’s GLO Initiative.  

How and when will EPA identify communities for the Initiative?

EPA is considering multiple factors in community selection, including overall community need (prioritizing disadvantaged or underserved communities), the presence of LSLs, and readiness to receive technical assistance. EPA will coordinate with each state and determine which systems would benefit most from the GLO initiative. The GLO Initiative will serve approximately 200 communities on a rolling basis over the next two years. EPA aims to serve 75 communities in the first year and 125 in the second year. 

I’m concerned about potential or confirmed lead service lines in my community. How can we get help from the GLO Initiative?

You can reach out to EPA through our WaterTA request form. Many EPA WaterTA programs identify communities to work with through the request form, including Environmental Finance Centers (EFCs) that can assist with service line inventories and replacement planning. Please be as detailed as possible in your message so that we can connect you with the program that is the best fit for your situation. 

Who will be conducting the work under GLO?

The services provided under the GLO initiative will be conducted by EPA, including its contractors, and in coordination with states and water systems (or other resources as needed) by each community. 

More Information

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Last updated on September 5, 2024