New York still does not know where all its lead pipes are.
Environmental Protection Agency data show 251,000 lead pipes have been identified in the state but nearly 950,000 additional water lines are of unknown material. Federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements require New York and the nation to remove all lead pipes by 2037, with work starting next year.
Rob Hayes, senior director of water for the group Environmental Advocates of New York, said current state laws can address this.
“A few years ago, New York enacted a bill called the Lead Pipe Right to Know Act. This was a landmark piece of legislation to make data on where lead pipes are located more transparent and accessible to the public,” Hayes explained.
The law includes a website on the state Department of Health website where people can see if their community has lead pipes but 39 water systems statewide do not report what their pipes are made of. Hayes pointed out water utilities can reach out to customers so they can send a worker to determine if they have lead pipes.
The newer federal rules allocate several billion dollars to states to ramp up the work. For New York state alone, removing all of its lead pipes is estimated to cost between $2.5 billion and $5 billion. Hayes added there are proposed state bills to get to the bottom of unanswered questions.
“We can’t solely rely on the federal government to make sure this work gets done. There are specific policies that have been left to states to address, including this critical question of who pays for the lead pipe replacements,” Hayes noted.
The Lead Pipe Replacement Act would require the state’s water utilities to cover remaining replacement costs. The 2027 legislative session will be the third year the bill is brought before lawmakers, with more of them learning about the broader issue. For homeowners, it can cost between $5,000 and $10,000 to replace lead pipes in their homes.
Edwin is a reporter and producer in North Tonawanda, New York. He’s previously reported for the Niagara Gazette and the Ithaca Times. Edwin got an early start in radio interning for WBFO-88.7FM, NPR’s Buffalo affiliate. In 2018, he graduated from SUNY Buffalo State College with a B.A. in Journalism, and in 2022, graduated from Syracuse University with an M.S. in Communications.