President Biden has touted his administration's efforts to remove lead and other toxic substances from drinking water in an effort to make the Democratic case to voters in the battleground state of Wisconsin.
During his appearance in Milwaukee, he touted his administration's new rules that would require most of the nation's lead-based water pipes to be removed within 10 years.
“Kamala and I were the first administration to take on this challenge once and for all, and we are succeeding,” Biden said, referring to Vice President Harris.
“We have already replaced 367,000 pipe services across America, and today we
Nearly 1 million Americans no longer have to worry about the potential effects of lead in their water. ”
Biden also criticized Republicans over their record on the issue, including their vote against Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson's bipartisan bill.
“I don't think there's anything too radical about protecting children from lead poisoning,” Biden said.
He also pointed to the Trump administration's track record of rolling back environmental protections and the promise of “Infrastructure Week.”
“When the last guy was president, he promised Infrastructure Week every week for four years. He didn't make much of it,” Biden said.
There are tens of thousands of lead water pipes in the city of Milwaukee. There are also large numbers of lead pipes in other U.S. cities such as Chicago, Cleveland, New York, and Detroit.
Biden's comments came 10 years after the Flint, Michigan, water crisis. During the crisis, nearly 100,000 people were exposed to lead when water switches corroded lead pipes and contaminated the city's water.
High levels of lead were recently discovered in another Michigan city, Benton Harbor.
Exposure to lead can damage a child's brain and nervous system. In adults, lead can cause reproductive problems, neurological disorders, high blood pressure, and memory problems.
