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4/8/2025
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Sponsors, advocates push for passage of lead service line replacement bill
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STATE HOUSE — Rep. David Morales, Sen. Lammis J. Vargas and Providence City Council President Rachel Miller were joined by parents and advocates from the Childhood Lead Action Project at a State House event today in support of legislation to make it easier to tenants to have their lead service lines replaced.
The legislation (2025-S 0492, 2025-H 5375), sponsored by Representative Morales (D-Dist. 7, Providence) and Senator Vargas (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence), would allow cities to pass ordinances allowing tenants to sign off on lead service line replacements in the event that the landlord is unresponsive and the property owner is eligible for a free service line replacement.
“Tenants have a right to a safe and healthy living environment, and when landlords fail to respond, it’s not just a matter of convenience—it’s a matter of dignity, safety and the well-being of families,” said Senator Vargas. “If tenants’ families are being exposed to the risk of lead poisoning every time they turn on the tap, of course they should be able to make sure they don’t miss out on a free service line replacement if their landlord fails to take care of it.”
Said Representative Morales, “In my home city of Providence, thousands of people are living in homes that are still served by lead water lines, even though they qualify to have those lines replaced for free. The rate of participation in the service line replacement program is considerably lower for rental properties than it is for owner-occupied homes. And rental properties are more likely to be occupied by working families, people of color and those who are already more likely to be under-resourced, have less access to health care and more exposure to toxins due to environmental injustice. They need and deserve an avenue to take advantage of free service line replacement if their home qualifies but their landlord just won’t take action.”
A 2024 analysis of Phase 1.1 of Providence Water’s lead service line replacement program found a 60% participation rate of owner-occupied homes, compared to 46% in rented homes.
“The dangers of lead exposure are well-documented and widely acknowledged. It is past time to get lead pipes out of our homes and out of our city,” said Providence City Council President Rachel Miller. “But right now, only property owners can participate in existing remediation programs like those provided by Providence Water. For our renters, this puts a critical decision about their health into the hands of their landlord. As a renter myself, I feel strongly that everyone deserves a safe and healthy home, regardless of whether they rent or own. This bill will ensure that all residents at eligible properties have access to this no-cost, health-saving service.”
Childhood Lead Action Project organized the event calling for approval of Representative Morales’ and Senator Vargas’ bill.
“With millions of dollars available for lead pipe replacements in Rhode Island, we have a great opportunity to proactively address access to these programs this year. This bill opens up a path for cities with high renter populations to ensure that tenants — people drinking the water, and people ultimately at risk — have a say in their families’ health,” said DeeAnn Guo, community organizer from Childhood Lead Action Project, whose mission is to eliminate childhood lead poisoning in Rhode Island through education, parent support and advocacy.
According to the Rhode Island Department of Health Office of Drinking Water Quality, Rhode Island received over $28.65 million in 2024 alone through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) specifically for lead service line inventories and replacements, with an estimated total of nearly $143 million from FY2022-2026. There are additional hundreds of millions of dollars available through the DWSRF Main and Supplemental Pools, which water systems may apply for.
“No tenant, no parent, no child, no older adult should be drinking poisoned lead water,” said Elizabeth G., who spoke at today’s event, and who is the parent of a child with lead poisoning. “Replacing the service line is important.”
“There is no safe level of lead exposure!” said community activist Terri Wright, who spoke at the event. “Every drop counts! Water is life!”
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
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