$90M in grants to replace lead service lines, improve drinking water in New York

Nearly $90 million in state grants have been awarded to communities across New York to improve drinking water infrastructure by finding and replacing lead service lines, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday.

The money will help cover the costs of lead service line replacement projects that received financing through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Congress passed in 2021.

Here is a breakdown of the communities and the funding:

• New York City (Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens), $28,000,000
• City of Rochester, $28,000,000
• City of Syracuse, $12,756,047
• Village of Herkimer, $3,962,616
• City of Albany, $3,859,328
• City of Troy, $3,846,900
• Gloversville Water Works, $2,310,445
• Village of Ilion, $1,221,477
• Village of Ogdensburg, $688,300
• Village of Bath, $468,300
• Village of Catskill, $106,545

Lead is harmful to human health and can enter drinking water when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode. Lead pipes are more likely to be found in older cities and homes built before 1986.

“When it comes to New York’s water infrastructure, we’re getting the lead out,” Hochul said in a statement. “Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority – and by giving communities the support needed to replace lead service lines, we’re helping to safeguard public drinking water for generations to come.”

In addition, the state Department of Health is using $1 million from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to provide engineering and technical assistance for lead service identification for the communities of Clayton, Diana, Lake Luzerne, New Berlin, Sackets Harbor, Kinderhook, Millerton, New Paltz, Ravena and Rutland.

New York State’s Lead Service Line Replacement Program has invested $30 million to identify and replace lead service lines across the state.