Step 4: Who might be impacted?
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To ensure an equitable outcome of LSL replacements, it is important to identify where LSLs are in a community through the development of an LSL inventory and to understand who lives in the communities where LSLs exist, who will benefit, and who will be affected by the activities in LSL replacement programs. It is also important to understand whether those who are impacted fall under federal, state, or local definitions of “disadvantaged communities”. The LSL inventory will provide information on which communities or households, or which parts of a community, are in need of LSL replacement. The following questions are a starting point for characterizing who lives in those communities and who may be disproportionately impacted by the presence and replacement of LSLs:
National, state, and local partners may be able to provide the community with informative data sets about community demographics, economic status, and other indicators of disparities in health outcomes to answer the questions above. Additionally, some organizations have compiled data and created indices to identify locations of environmental justice concerns. For example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency develops tools to assist communities in identifying portions of their community that are |
Guide to Equity Analysis
Step 4:
Who might be impacted? 
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already or may be at risk of being disproportionately impacted by policy decisions. These tools analyze large amounts of data to provide geographically-based risk indices. One tool particularly relevant to LSL replacement is Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool, EJScreen.
National or state tools like EJ Screen and others and publicly available data sets can provide useful information about where communities warranting consideration in equity analyses are located. However, not all tools may be useful to every community, and they often provide an incomplete picture of local circumstances as they relate to negative health outcomes associated with lead exposure. The quantity and granularity of data required for an adequate equity assessment is community-specific. Additional data that may not be included in available tools and can be useful in developing an equitable LSL replacement program include:
National or state tools like EJ Screen and others and publicly available data sets can provide useful information about where communities warranting consideration in equity analyses are located. However, not all tools may be useful to every community, and they often provide an incomplete picture of local circumstances as they relate to negative health outcomes associated with lead exposure. The quantity and granularity of data required for an adequate equity assessment is community-specific. Additional data that may not be included in available tools and can be useful in developing an equitable LSL replacement program include:
- Occupants at elevated risk of lead exposure
- Locations of high density of at-risk populations
- Communities facing communication obstacles
- Rental properties
- Uninhabited structures
Occupants at Elevated Risk of Lead Exposure
Lead exposure is a cumulative concern, and drinking water is one route of exposure. Many communities have active lead risk reduction programs that focus on other routes of exposure via dust, paint, soil, the occupations of adult household residents, and deposition from airborne releases. Local and state environmental health agencies can be a source of information for this data. Where a community lacks a formal tracking and mapping system, these offices can be a source of information on patterns in observed exposures.
Locations with High Density of At-Risk Populations
Young children are among those most sensitive to the effects of lead exposure. As such, communities may want to identify structures and locations where many children are often present, including:
In some communities, unlicensed childcare plays an important role. Understanding the prevalence and role of informal childcare in a community can help inform equity analysis recommendations. Local health care agencies and local branches of childcare provider organizations may be able to provide useful information or a conduit for communication.
Communities Facing Communication Obstacles
There are numerous elements of communication in LSL replacement, some of which require action by households for the program to be effective. For example, communicating to homeowners how to administer proper flushing if the contractor is not required to do it and how to use filters to avoid lead exposure post-replacement. If a LSL replacement program does not anticipate, assess, and plan for the audiences it is trying to reach, there is the potential for inequitable outcomes. Audiences to consider include non-English speaking households and low-literacy audiences.
Lead exposure is a cumulative concern, and drinking water is one route of exposure. Many communities have active lead risk reduction programs that focus on other routes of exposure via dust, paint, soil, the occupations of adult household residents, and deposition from airborne releases. Local and state environmental health agencies can be a source of information for this data. Where a community lacks a formal tracking and mapping system, these offices can be a source of information on patterns in observed exposures.
Locations with High Density of At-Risk Populations
Young children are among those most sensitive to the effects of lead exposure. As such, communities may want to identify structures and locations where many children are often present, including:
- Child care facilities and schools
- Community centers
In some communities, unlicensed childcare plays an important role. Understanding the prevalence and role of informal childcare in a community can help inform equity analysis recommendations. Local health care agencies and local branches of childcare provider organizations may be able to provide useful information or a conduit for communication.
Communities Facing Communication Obstacles
There are numerous elements of communication in LSL replacement, some of which require action by households for the program to be effective. For example, communicating to homeowners how to administer proper flushing if the contractor is not required to do it and how to use filters to avoid lead exposure post-replacement. If a LSL replacement program does not anticipate, assess, and plan for the audiences it is trying to reach, there is the potential for inequitable outcomes. Audiences to consider include non-English speaking households and low-literacy audiences.
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Rental Properties Landlords have different incentives to replace LSLs serving rental properties than owners of homeowner-occupied properties. Understanding the location of residential rental properties will inform program choices to reduce disparities, including potentially who is eligible for subsidies to help cover the cost of LSL replacement when customers are expected to pay a portion. Census data can provide insights into trends in rental property within a community; more specific information may be available through local government offices that license and register rental properties. Uninhabited Structures There may also be factors that help identify LSLs that can be deprioritized, such as those serving vacant structures. Properties that are known to be |
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vacant and the water service is shut off do not present risk of immediate exposure to lead in drinking water from the LSL. Water system billing records can serve as a primary source of information for this analysis.