Image Credit: DEP.
On July 24, 2024, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection announced the commencement of a free lead service line replacement program. This program involves replacing privately-owned water service lines made of lead or galvanized steel at eligible properties in the Bronx. Property owners are responsible for the maintenance of their property’s service lines that connect directly to the City’s water mains. Service line replacements cost roughly over $10,000. This $24 million project is being funded by grants and interest-free loans funded in part by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
This program targets homeowners residing within environmental justice communities with high concentrations of lead service lines and earning a median household income of less than $47,600. Eligible residents have begun receiving letters in the mail with program enrollment information; only homeowners who are contacted by the Department of Environmental Protection may participate in the program. More information on the program and a service line map can be found at nyc.gov/leadpipe. Lead service line replacement is anticipated to begin in the Bronx this summer
In 2022, the Department of Environmental Protection completed a successful pilot program, which focused on ways to decrease risk of lead exposure, which can cause health problems, within privately-owned service lines and household plumbing. The program replaced approximately 600 privately-owned lead service lines in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island at no cost to property owners.
Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala said, “New York City tap water is safe, healthy, and delicious and no one should hesitate to drink it. Lead does not come from the city’s upstate drinking water supply, nor are there any lead pipes in the water distribution system. Rather, lead exposure comes from the lead water service line that connects an individual building or home to the city water main under a street. DEP strongly encourages eligible property owners to take part in this free program. Replacing lead water service lines will help reduce the risk of lead exposure from household plumbing and save thousands of dollars. Nearly 60 percent of New York residents living in disadvantaged communities reside in New York City, where it is more expensive to replace lead service lines than in other parts of the state. That’s why it’s so imperative New York City get our fair share of federal funds to expand this program and protect homeowners who can’t afford to make these repairs on their own.”
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said, “This is a great initiative by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection that will ensure our residents` drinking water is safe with an emphasis on communities that have historically been impacted by years of environmental injustices and inequality in our borough.”
By: Chelsea Ramjeawan (Chelsea is the CityLaw intern and a New York Law School student, Class of 2025.)