Commitment to Replacing Lead Pipes Will Create Good-Paying Jobs for United Association Members, Protect Health of All Communities

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Following the passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act last month and the commitments made today by Vice President Harris and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Regan, United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA) General President Mark McManus hailed the investments as a critical step towards creating family-sustaining union jobs that will protect the water supply of all communities and replace lead service lines nationwide:

“Vice President Harris and Administrator Regan know firsthand that the men and women of the United Association are uniquely prepared to ensure all communities across the United States have access to clean and safe water free from lead contamination. These investments will not only put our members to work with fair wages and benefits but help ensure all Americans have the clean water they deserve,” said Mark McManus, General President of the United Association.

“During the Flint water crisis, our members were first on the ground helping replace dangerous lead lines in the community and in residents’ homes. The United Association is ready to expand on that work because we know there are hundreds of communities across this country just like Flint that need the help of the federal government and the United Association.”

“We are honored to be entrusted with the tremendous responsibility of protecting our communities’ water supply and we look forward to continuing this important work. The more than 359,000 men and women of the United Association are the best trained and most highly skilled craftspeople in the industry thanks to our gold standard apprenticeship programs, the more than $300 million annually we invest in training, the strict plumbing codes we follow, and the rigorous licensing and certification processes our members go through. Simply put, our members are the best in the world at what we do – and when it comes to protecting our water supply, we cannot settle for anything less.”