Columbus Sues Lead Pipe Makers Over Water Line Replacement Costs

City seeks to recover costs from companies it says encouraged lead pipe use for decades

Mar. 12, 2026 at 3:20pm

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The city of Columbus, Ohio, has filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against lead pipe manufacturers and mining companies, seeking to recover the costs associated with replacing tens of thousands of lead and galvanized water service lines in the city. The lawsuit alleges the companies spent decades downplaying the health risks of lead and encouraging its use in plumbing, despite a city ban on new lead service lines since 1963.

Why it matters

Exposure to lead in drinking water can lead to serious health issues, especially for children. Columbus is now facing an estimated $1.2 billion price tag to remove and replace all lead service lines by 2037 as required by federal regulations. The city argues the companies responsible for producing and promoting lead pipes should be held accountable for the costs, rather than passing them on to ratepayers.

The details

The lawsuit names several lead manufacturing and mining companies as defendants, including NL Industries Inc., Eagle Pilcher Technologies, ASARCO, Doe Run Resources Corp., Atlantic Richfield Co., Edlow International Co. and Nuclead Manufacturing Co. Inc. Columbus says it has already spent over $1 million in 2025 on corrosion control treatment of its water to mitigate the lead threat, and those costs are expected to rise due to inflation.

  • Columbus banned the use of lead in new water service lines in 1963.
  • The city began removing lead piping it encountered during other construction projects in the mid-1990s.
  • Federal regulations now require all lead service lines to be removed and replaced by 2037.

The players

Zach Klein

Columbus City Attorney who announced the lawsuit.

NL Industries Inc.

One of the lead manufacturing companies named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

Columbus

The city filing the lawsuit to recover costs of replacing lead water service lines.

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What they’re saying

“Too many working people and families are feeling stretched thing by an increased cost of living. We can't ask more of ratepayers when the companies that created this problem aren't being asked to pay a dime to fix it.”

— Zach Klein, Columbus City Attorney (dispatch.com)

What’s next

The judge will need to decide whether to allow the lawsuit to proceed against the lead pipe manufacturers and mining companies named as defendants.

The takeaway

This lawsuit represents a novel legal strategy by Columbus to hold the companies responsible for producing and promoting lead pipes accountable for the costly burden of replacing that infrastructure, rather than passing those costs on to city residents.