Illinois has the most lead pipes per capita of any state, according to a 2023 study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

A 2022 Guardian analysis found that majority Black and Latino neighborhoods had the highest concentration of lead in their tap water. As of a few months ago, the city of Chicago had replaced fewer than 300 lead service lines out of about 390,000.

The mayor came under fire by some alderpeople for not living up to her campaign promise to re-establish a city Department of Environment.