Joan Leary Matthews

Yesterday, New York governor Kathy Hochul signed the Lead Pipe Right to Know Act (S5512/A6115). This new law will result in more comprehensive inventories of drinking water service lines, particularly lead service lines, which are a public health threat and need to be replaced. Online interactive maps by addresses within the utility districts will also be required.

According to a new report, No Excuses, NYC: Replace Lead Drinking Water Pipes Now, an estimated one in five New Yorkers, or 21% of the City’s residents, may be drinking water transported through lead service lines.

Today, the New York City Coalition to End Lead Poisoning issued a report, No Excuses, NYC: Replace Lead Drinking Water Pipes Now, estimating that one in five New Yorkers—21 percent of the city’s residents—may be drinking water transported through lead service lines. Service lines are pipes that connect residences to water mains in the street, and lead leaches from the pipes into the drinking water.