Are the pipes in your neighborhood safe?

When you are exposed to lead, it has consequences that can haunt you for the rest of your life.”

Congressman Ritchie Torres

Local and citywide concerns pertaining to lead service lines and water purification have prompted a Bronx politician to take action and introduce legislation to provide residents with tax credits for new water filtration systems.

On Tuesday, U.S. Rep Ritchie Torres introduced the PURE Water Act into the U.S. House of Representatives, which would establish a tax credit for the purchase and installation of certain water filtration systems in city residences.

There are nearly 125,000 lead service water lines in use throughout the five boroughs, along with another 125,000 active lead pipes which are said to possibly contain lead, according to data released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“Replacing all the lead service pipes is going to be a long-term, laborious process,” Torres said.

“So, instead of New Yorkers waiting indefinitely for all the pipes to be replaced, why not give [them] a tax credit to enable them to modernize their filtration systems.” 

Passed by U.S. Congress in 1974, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), enacted to protect public health and regulate the public drinking water supply across the country.

In 1986, Congress amended the legislation, which prohibited the use of lead-based pipes, solder or flux in public water systems or plumbing in facilities which provided water for human consumption. Another amendment to SDWA, which further strengthened public health protections pertaining to water consumption, was implemented in 1996.

In October, the Biden-Harris administration and the EPA finalized the nationwide Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) mandate which requires all water systems in the U.S. to replace lead pipes within ten years, beginning in 2027.

Non-profit organization New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV), which advocates for protecting public health throughout the state, created a map in November based on EPA data which shows lead pipe levels throughout the five boroughs.

In 2023, the EPA estimated New York as one of the top six states in the country with the highest number of lead service lines, with at least 494,000 lead pipes in operation statewide.

“In New York State, there are approximately 500,000 lead service lines delivering drinking water to home, businesses and houses of worship,” NYLCV senior vice president Josh Klainberg said in a statement on Tuesday following the introduction of the bill.

The PURE Water Act, which would be a further amendment to the 1986 legislation if passed, has received bi-partisan support from U.S. Rep Mike Lawler along with other Congress members from New York State.

The bill represents a critical bridge to a “clean water future” according to Klainberg.

New York City water is virtually lead-free when it is being delivered from the city’s upstate reservoir system, but water can absorb lead from solder, fixtures and pipes found in the plumbing of some buildings or homes, according to the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) website.

The DEP is currently in the process of providing free lead test kits to identify lead in residential drinking water as it is unidentifiable without testing, because lead is invisible, odorless and tasteless. 

A resident of Fieldston, who wished to remain anonymous, conducted a water test after requesting a test kit earlier this month and learned the drinking water in her home showed traces of lead.

In response to the test results, the DEP requested she either install a water filter or change the water pipes in the residence to correct the issue.

“DEP won’t replace them because I don’t live in a zip code covered by their replacement project,” the resident said.

The resident said she pays annual insurance fees to American Water Resources (AWR), a water utility company previously referred to her by the DEP which offers voluntary water and sewer line protection. However, AWR has not provided any financial relief regarding a lead pipe removal, according to the resident, who also contacted Councilman Eric Dinowitz regarding the matter.

“They (DEP) also said they won’t replace the pipes because lead removal is not covered in my insurance plan,” she said.

Torres, who in November hinted at an upcoming political run for state governor, spoke on experiencing lead contamination as a child growing up in the Bronx. 

“Safe drinking water is an essential public good,” Torres said. “It is not a privilege, but a right — and when you are exposed to lead, it has consequences that can haunt you for the rest of your life.”

If passed, the bill would empower people throughout the country to install a water filtration system in their residences instead of waiting for a larger lead service line replacement which can cost between $10,000 and $15,000, according to Torres’ office.

Residents can view the citywide NYLCV map at nylcvedfund.maps.arcgis.com. To request your free lead test kit, visit the Lead in Drinking Water page on NYC311’s website.