Wilkinsburg Penn Joint Water Authority (WPJWA) must do more to ensure residents have access to public, safe and affordable water. Seven WPJWA-served communities have among the worst childhood lead poisoning rates in Allegheny County, and lead poisoning in children can cause irreversible damage. To combat rising lead levels, the WPJWA received a $9.3 million dollar grant in 2021 to replace around 1,000 lead service lines. At the same time, the Authority currently provides ZERO assistance funding for customers who are struggling to pay their water bills, while nearly 1 in 6 WPJWA customer accounts became delinquent during the pandemic.