SIOUX CITY (KTIV) – The Environmental Protection Agency says exposure to lead can cause a whole host of health problems; from headaches and hearing problems in kids, to hypertension and brain damage in adults.

The EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule says lead water lines, or galvanized water lines, need to be replaced by 2037. In the new year, a new law will require more transparency about lead service pipes when homes are sold in Iowa.

Starting January 1st, House File 876 will add to the seller’s disclosure statement for real estate transactions the presence of lead service lines. That includes the lines that connect the city’s water main to the interior plumbing in a building, or to the water meter.

In 2024, cities sent notifications to homeowners to let them know if there were, in fact, lead service lines in their area that affected their homes. Now, if homeowners who do have those lead service lines elect to sell their homes, they have to include that in their disclosure statement to the buyer.