The Lead Pipe Replacement Act would create a plan to replace lead pipes across the state in line with a 10-year deadline set by the federal government. In October 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a revision to its Lead and Copper Improvements Rule, which required drinking water systems across the country to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years. Water utilities were given three years to prepare before the timeframe begins.
Rob Hayes, senior director of Clean Water with Environmental Advocates New York, estimated there are still 555,000 lead pipes across the state.
“We need a plan to get these pipes out of the ground as swiftly and equitably as possible," he said. "We have a deadline by 2037 to do it. This bill would implement the plan to make sure we get the lead out and protect people’s health.”
Although the EPA has taken steps to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water across the country, lead pipes can still be found in buildings constructed before 1950.
Lead contamination can be particularly dangerous for children younger than six years old. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lead exposure can result in slowed development and damage to the brain and nervous system.
In the Capital Region, the city of Albany received $12.9 million in state funding to replace nearly 2,500 lead service lines last year.
In Troy, Mayor Carmella Mantello has committed to replacing all lead pipes. In 2025, the city received $16.7 million in state and federal funding to replace approximately 1,100 lead service lines.
Jona Favreau, a member of the Troy City Council representing the 5th district elected in 2025, has been pushing for the replacement of lead pipes in Troy since she found out that her 2-year-old son had lead poisoning from pipes in her home in 2022. The Democrat hopes the city administration will move quicker to replace lead pipes in homes and schools.
“Personally, looping it back to Troy, where I am a council member, I would love to see the administration move faster," she said. "We have the resources. We have the money, and now we just need to get the crews out, digging those pipes out of the ground.”
This week’s budget proposal from the state legislature includes an additional $100 million for lead pipe remediation for local governments. Assemblymember John McDonald, a Democrat who represents parts of the city of Troy, says the state legislature should prioritize providing the necessary resources along with a detailed implementation plan as outlined in the Lead Pipe Replacement Act.
“The state understands the concerns. We need to one quantify what the issue is, but more importantly, make sure we deliver the resources," he said. "That’s why we’re pushing for the $100 million that we’ve added with the Senate to make sure it comes across the goal line during this budget process.”
State Senator Gustavo Rivera, a co-sponsor of the bill, says New York should set an example in codifying a plan for lead pipe replacement. The Democrat expressed his concern regarding potential cuts to funding from the federal government for infrastructure projects in relation to environmental concerns, as the Trump administration has rolled back climate and environmental regulations this year.
“The federal government has set a date for this to be done around the country and certainly in the state of New York, but we cannot rely on the federal government," he said. "We can talk a lot about the things that the federal government is not only getting worse, only getting wrong, but actively doing wrong at the national level, and we can only assume that they just haven't gotten to this one yet.”
Hayes says the state should prioritize an equitable lead pipe removal process, especially for those who are already facing potential health risks from lead contamination in their drinking water.
“New York should make sure that the people most impacted by lead poisoning are prioritized for lead pipe replacements," he said. "They’re bearing the burden of this crisis, they need relief fastest of all. Fortunately, the Lead Pipe Replacement Act would require water utilities to prioritize disadvantaged communities, and schools, and homes with kids with high lead levels for those early lead pipe replacements. That’s how we can protect their drinking water, and make sure that we get that lead out as equitably as possible.”
