With New Yorkers staying indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, they shouldn’t have to worry about toxins in their homes making them sick. However, many of our neighbors are currently at higher risk from lead in their homes, including children who take classes online.
Because of this, I was pleased that the Albany Water Department announced that it will replace lead water lines that service several homes in Arbor Hill. The result will be much cleaner drinking water for Orange Street residents.
While this project is funded by Department of Water revenues, government grants have been critical to Albany’s efforts to get the lead. Albany had previously received $ 500,000 from the State Department of Health’s Lead Service Line Replacement Program. This state aid makes the replacement of lead pipes affordable for local governments, creates well-paying jobs and ensures that homeowners and tenants are not burdened with costs.
Albany quickly took advantage of the full $ 500,000 grant, showing that much more government funding is needed. New York has allocated $ 30 million to the Lead Service Line Replacement Program, but at least $ 1 billion is required to excavate the estimated 360,000 lead pipes buried across the state. In Albany, nearly 50 percent of the city’s housing stock was built prior to 1940, and therefore is at a higher risk of having lead pipes.
Fortunately, Albany has committed to removing every lead pipe in the city. Our state government must now support this effort by increasing funding for this critical work nationwide to at least $ 100 million a year.
Rob Hayes
Albany
Clean water staff
Environmental Attorneys NY
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