President Biden on Tuesday set a 10-year deadline for cities across the nation to replace their lead pipes, finalizing an approach aimed at ensuring that drinking water is safe for all Americans.

Water utilities across the country will have to comply with EPA limits on "forever chemicals" in drinking water by 2029. Orange County, Calif., got a head start.

Despite the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper organization existing for 30 years, with roots in Atlanta, the nonprofit that serves as a watchdog for river pollution only began consistently monitoring in the Columbus area in the last few years. Thanks to an expanding staff, a new water quality lab partnership at Columbus State University and tips from locals concerned about water quality, the riverkeepers are showing up more often to test water in the river and creeks.

Ten years ago, Flint, Mich. switched water sources to the Flint River. The lack of corrosion control in the pipes caused lead to leach into the water supply of tens of thousands of residents. Pediatrician Mona Hanna-Attisha recognized a public health crisis in the making and gathered data proving the negative health impact on Flint's young children. In doing so, she and community organizers in Flint sparked a national conversation about lead in the U.S. water system that persists today.

Today on the show, host Emily Kwong and science correspondent Pien Huang talk about the state of Flint and other cities with lead pipes. Efforts to replace these pipes hinge on proposed changes to the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule.

Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!