Council Member Robert Holden has criticized Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for their “insufficient efforts” to address lead service line replacements in his district.
Holden was speaking in response to an announcement by the Adams administration Wednesday to expand the city’s free program to replace privately-owned water service lines made of lead or galvanized steel at eligible homes in the Bronx or Queens.
The program is focused on homeowners who live in environmental justice communities with high concentrations of lead service lines. Homeowners must also earn a median household income of less than $47,600 in order to qualify for the program.
Holden said the program was insufficient for residents in his district – Council District 30 – and said the issue of lead service line replacements affects many homeowners in the area.
“The Mayor’s announcement is a slap in the face to communities like mine, which have many lead service lines, and seniors on low income,” Holden said in a statement.
Property owners are responsible for the maintenance of their property’s water service lines, with service line replacements costing upwards of $10,000.
The program aims to assist property owners living in low-income neighborhoods by providing free water service line replacement. Adams said the program will be partially funded by a $48 million grant from the Biden-Harris administration’s federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which earmarked $15 billion to be used nationally for lead service line replacements. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s state loan forgiveness program will also partially fund the initiative.
However, Holden said he had proposed a pilot program in his district to replace the service lines using funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“It would have been an ideal way for the city to coordinate construction and replace lead lines for homeowners in one go. Once again, communities like mine are left behind,” Holden said.
Adams said the program will ensure that New Yorkers have continued access to clean and safe drinking water.
“With this expanded program, we’re helping thousands of homeowners in low-income neighborhoods afford important infrastructure work that will do even more to prevent lead exposure,” Adams said in a statement.
Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi said the program represented the best of government collaboration.
“New York has some of the best, safest, cleanest water in the world. Now, thanks to a $48 million grant from the Biden-Harris administration and our Federal Infrastructure Funding task force’s ongoing work, thousands of homeowners in lower-income areas who need to replace individual old lead lines can do so – and cost will not be an obstacle,” Joshi said in a statement.
Sen. Chuck Schumer said it was imperative to remove lead from water pipes as quickly as possible.
“We know from Flint that lead pipes can be detrimental to community health, and we must move expeditiously to remove and replace these pipes,” Schumer said.
