Proponent Testimony on HB 307, the Lead Line Replacement Act — Annalisa Rocca, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund

Summary

Proponent testimony on HB 307, the Lead Line Replacement Act, from Annalisa Rocca, Central Ohio Regional Director of the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund, dated October 1st, 2025, to the Development Committee. The testimony states that Ohio ranks 3rd in the nation for the most lead service lines, with about 745,000 statewide. It states that House Bill 307 prohibits partial replacements of lead lines and allows the cost of lead service line replacement to be spread across the rate base. It states that replacement is estimated to cost around $5 billion and cites a cost benefit analysis by Scioto Analysis of a return between $32 to $45 for every dollar spent.

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            Proponent Testimony on HB 307, the Lead Line Replacement Act
                   Annalisa Rocca, Central Ohio Regional Director
                       Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund
                            Wednesday, October 1st, 2025


Chair Hoops, Vice Chair Lorenz, Ranking Member Abdullahi, and members of the
Development Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of House Bill
307, the Lead Line Replacement Act.

My name is Annalisa Rocca, and I am the Central Ohio Regional Director for the Ohio
Environmental Council Action Fund. The vision of the OEC Action Fund is for a clean,
healthy Ohio where our democracy empowers all communities to thrive in harmony with
the environment.

Too many Ohio families still face the hidden danger of lead poisoning, unknowingly
drinking tap water that may be contaminated by aging lead service lines. Ohio ranks 3rd in
the nation for the most lead service lines, with about 745,000 statewide. Nearly 4,000
children each year test positive for elevated blood lead levels in Ohio, and the real number
is likely higher because not every child is tested.                            ealth experts
agree that there is no safe level of lead in the blood. For children, and especially kids under
the age of six, elevated levels of lead in their blood can cause impaired brain development
and lower intelligence. Adults are more likely to experience increased risks of
cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and kidney and nervous system problems
when exposed to lead.

We are thrilled to have strong bipartisan support to address this crisis once and for all.
House Bill 307, sponsored by Representatives Robb-Blasdel and Jarrells, prohibits partial
replacements of lead lines, which can spike lead levels at the tap, requires robust service-
line inventories, and ensures utilities provide certified filters and education before, during,
and after replacements. The legislation also includes practical measures to support water
systems, such as the ability to spread the cost of lead service line replacement across the
rate base, and creating a training and certification program to build the skilled workforce.
Improvements, which require water systems nationwide to identify and replace lead
service lines within 10 years.

Replacing these lines will be expensive, it is estimated to cost around $5 billion. Yet, the
cost of inaction is far higher. A recent cost benefit analysis completed by Scioto Analysis,
                                                an incredibly strong investment. Every single
dollar spent to replace these lead lines will return between $32 to $45 in public-health and
economic benefit. Over the 15-year project timeline, the replacement program would grow

cardiovascular deaths, higher lifetime earnings from avoided IQ loss, reduced special-
education and healthcare costs, and less water loss from leaky old pipes. This legislation
                                           communities; it is an investment in our
economy and our future.

HB 307 is bipartisan, practical legislation. It protects kids, saves money in the long-term,
creates jobs, and aligns Ohio with federal requirements. Most importantly, it creates a plan
to get the lead out.

I urge every member of this committee to
happy to answer any questions.


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