October 23, 2026

National Lead Poisoning and Prevention Week 

National Lead Poisoning and Prevention Week is this week (October 25 to October 31, 2026); Ohio ranks among the top states in the country for lead service lines. 8.1% of the country’s lead service lines are in Ohio, while only 3.6% of the U.S. population lives in Ohio—meaning this infrastructure issue has an outsized impact on our health and economy. (EPIC CBA)    

There is no safe amount of lead to ingest, and the impact of lead on our health is severe, particularly to pregnant people and young children. Lead in the human body can cause ADHD, anemia, cardiovascular mortality, depression, and other negative health impacts. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an estimated 6 to 10 million lead service lines exist in the United States, primarily in low-income communities and communities of color. 

OEC commissioned Scioto Analysis to create a study in 2024 on the cost benefits to the state if a full lead replacement were to be implemented. The findings were astounding:   

1. We estimate full replacement of Ohio’s lead service lines will yield a decrease of 3,800 cases of depression, a benefit of over $290 million in reduced medical costs and productivity cost savings over the 15 years of implementation, due to reduced depression prevalence in the state. 

2. We estimate the full replacement of lead pipes in Ohio will prevent the loss of an average of 1.25 IQ points each for over 290,000 children in Ohio over the next 15 years. This will lead to a total benefit of $8.35 billion in future earnings over the 15-year period. 

3. We estimate replacing all lead pipes in Ohio will lead to 7,300 fewer cases of anemia over the next 15 years. This would mean a benefit to Ohio of $22 million in decreased morbidity and mortality costs. 

4. Exposure to lead has been causally linked to increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. Among a sample of adults, 18% of the observed cardiovascular mortality was attributed to elevated blood lead levels. 

5. To quantify this impact on Ohio, we used figures from Donzelli et al.’s 2019 study on lead exposure’s relationship with ADHD. This study found that children with blood lead levels over 2.30 μg/dL have a 2.5 times greater risk of developing ADHD. (Scioto Analysis) 

This week, consider reading or re-reading our cost benefit analysis and remember the danger of lead. Together we can advocate for a future where no Ohioan has to worry about what is coming out of their tap.