Campaign Overview
New York’s water infrastructure is some of the oldest in the country; some of its components, especially lead pipes, pose a serious threat to public health. An estimated 500,000 lead pipes are still contaminating drinking water across the state, quietly putting children and families at risk. From Newburgh to Amsterdam to New York City, we see the consequences of this widespread exposure.
At Environmental Advocates NY, we are leading the charge to eliminate lead in drinking water by pushing for new state funding and policies to fully replace all lead pipes. There is no safe level of lead exposure, and the only permanent solution is to remove lead pipes entirely. We work in coalition with housing advocates, labor unions, and environmental justice leaders to demand the state-level action needed to protect every household.
At the same time, we fight for major investments in our broader water infrastructure. Across the state, broken water mains prompt boil water orders and failing wastewater treatment plants cause billions of gallons of sewage to spill into rivers and lakes each year. We advocate every budget cycle for robust funding of the Clean Water Infrastructure Act to ensure local governments can afford to launch shovel-ready projects, improve water quality, create jobs, and make water affordable for all.
Take Action
