Governor Hochul Announces $130 Million in Grants to Inventory and Replace Lead Service Lines

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced over $130 million in State grants awarded to communities across New York State to identify and replace lead service lines. The Governor's Lead Infrastructure Forgiveness and Transformation (LIFT) Grants help communities pay for projects that protect drinking water and safeguard the public health of New Yorkers without overburdening ratepayers.

"Our communities shouldn't have to choose between protecting their drinking water and taking on crushing debt," Governor Hochul said. "Every family deserves clean, safe drinking water at a cost they can afford, and these grants will help us make that goal a reality."

Lead is harmful to human health and can enter drinking water when lead service lines, faucets and fixtures corrode. Water that has high acidity or low mineral content can corrode lead plumbing. Lead service lines - pipes that connect homes to water mains - are typically the most significant source of lead in water. Lead plumbing is likely to be found in older cities and homes built before 1986.

Governor Hochul's grants will help municipalities pay for lead service line inventory and replacement projects supported by the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Under Congress, a portion of IIJA funding for lead service line projects is required to be provided as loans.

Taking on any debt to address lead service lines can be overly burdensome, especially for historically disadvantaged communities. Governor Hochul is minimizing these financial barriers by using State grants to repay the loan portion of these communities' funding packages upon project completion. This will ensure local ratepayers in these communities will not bear the full financial burden of these vital water quality projects.

The awards prioritize communities that meet one or more of the following criteria:

• The community's median household income is less than 80 percent of the regionally adjusted statewide median household income
• The community's local poverty rate is higher than the statewide poverty rate

The communities receiving these awards are:

• Albany Municipal Water Finance Authority, $4,252,531
• City of Batavia, $3,223,442
• City of Buffalo, $11,832,000
• City of Canandaigua, $869,300
• Village of Frankfort, $301,778
• City of Geneva, $3,737,741
• City of Glens Falls, $535,540
• City of Ithaca, $4,910,000
• Village of Johnson City, $3,687,000
• City of Kingston, $8,928,300
• City of Little Falls, $2,862,300
• Mohawk Valley Water Authority, $3,304,950
• City of Newburgh, $2,711,458
• Niagara Falls Water Board, $1,464,487
• New York City, $14 million for projects in Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island
• City of Olean, $5,923,939
• City of Oneonta, $433,500
• City of Port Jervis, $13,400,768
• City of Poughkeepsie, $14 million
• City of Rochester, $14,000,000
• City of Rome, $7,230,000
• Town of Seneca Falls, $1,088,710
• City of Troy, $11,097,000
• City of Watervliet, $518,000

The LIFT initiative delivers on Governor Hochul's affordability, clean water and public safety agendas. Coupling State and federal funding takes the fiscal pressure off local governments, allowing them to protect their residents by replacing more lead service lines. The State's comprehensive approach continues to provide communities with the resources they need to improve their water infrastructure.

The State has awarded over $600 million in IIJA funding for lead service line inventory and replacement since 2022, including $310 million in grants and $295 million in loans.

Including the grants announced today, the State has awarded over $290 million through LIFT for loan forgiveness since Governor Hochul launched the program in 2024.

New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation President and CEO Maureen A. Coleman said, "Governor Hochul recognizes that affordability isn't just about rent or groceries or the cost of childcare. It's also about whether a family can afford safe water. Too often, communities are asked to choose between long-overdue capital improvements and the financial burden they bring. Governor Hochul's grants flip that script. When funding is structured thoughtfully, when State support is strong, we can achieve real results without placing new burdens on already-stretched households."

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, "Governor Hochul and the New York State Department of Health share the same goal of safeguarding drinking water for every New Yorker. These grants will help municipalities affordably replace lead service lines, protect the communities from lead exposure and ensure more New Yorkers have access to safe drinking water - the foundation to good health."

Nation-Leading Investments in Water Infrastructure

Under Governor Hochul, New York State continues to increase its historic investments in water infrastructure. The FY27 budget announced by Governor Hochul sets the national standard with a transformational $3.75 billion water infrastructure investment plan. Since 2021, New York has committed $10.6 billion to clean water infrastructure projects. EFC is currently reviewing applications for $425 million made available through the first installment, with a portion allocated for lead service line inventory and replacement. New Yorkers can track projects benefiting from EFC's investments using the interactive project impact dashboard.