WNY Secures Federal Funding for Lead Pipe Reduction

LACKAWANNA, NY — New Environmental Protection Agency rules imposed last year require communities to replace all of their lead service lines over the next decade.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said places like Erie County are among the hardest hit in the country.

“Western New York, because we’re an older community, has one of the oldest water systems, so there’s unfortunately a lot of lead in our pipes,” Schumer said.

He held a news conference Monday in front of a line replacement project in the town of Lackawanna. Schumer said that while the county has done a good job beginning this daunting task, he still estimates that 12,000 lead and galvanized service lines need to be replaced.

“We have to do it, but the reason the federal government stepped in is because it’s too expensive for even large municipalities like Erie County or small municipalities like Lackawanna to do it themselves,” he said. he declared.

The majority leader said he was championing $15 billion in the bipartisan infrastructure law dedicated solely to eliminating lead pipes. He said last week that he had delivered $129 million in federal funds to New York state, bringing the total to $350 million, and promised more to come.

“The new cities in the South and West weren’t even using lead pipes, so even if the $15 billion covers the entire country, we’re going to get a pretty good chunk of that,” Schumer said.

The state allocates money to municipalities taking into account two criteria: the age of the systems and the percentage of disadvantaged people within the communities.

“One of the reasons I’m here is to let all the counties in Western New York know, apply quickly and I’ll try to support your application,” he said.

Schumer said he plans to continue providing federal money until there are no more lead pipelines. That includes $5 million in grants he hopes to set aside for Erie County in future congressionally directed spending.