Bill Memo: Find Lead Pipes Faster Act

2 Tree: Substantial benefit rating

Summary

This bill amends the public health law to make it easier for water utilities to conduct service line inspections to identify lead service lines.

Explanation

This bill will make it easier for utilities to conduct free service line inspections to identify lead service lines (LSLs). This bill will help water utilities more efficiently get the lead out of drinking water and protect the health of New Yorkers.

There is no safe level of lead exposure, with infants and young children especially at risk of development delays, speech and hearing loss, and other harmful health effects. There are an estimated 500,000 LSLs contaminating drinking water across New York, but most water utilities still do not know exactly how many LSLs are in their systems.

In 2023, New York enacted the Lead Pipe Right to Know Act, which requires water utilities to develop inventories that identify which properties are served by LSLs. Initial inventories are due in October 2024, with annual updates submitted thereafter. Water utilities must be given the tools to find out where LSLs are located, especially now that the US Environmental Protection Agency has proposed requiring them to replace 100% of their LSLs by 2037.

This bill builds on the Lead Pipe Right to Know Act by clarifying that property owners must respond to water utilities’ requests to conduct free service line inspections and authorizes tenants and other adult occupants to provide access for an inspection in the case of an absentee landlord or unresponsive property owner. The inspection takes minutes and does not disrupt the property or water supply.

This bill will accelerate the development of complete and accurate inventories, allowing water utilities to replace LSLs faster and helping New York draw down more federal funding to get the lead out. The health of all New Yorkers, especially our children, will benefit from eliminating this dangerous source of lead exposure as soon as possible.

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Environmental Advocates NY Bill Rating: Substantial Benefit

Memo #: 54