By GREGORY ZELLER // Four Long Island projects are included in a $20 million state funding package for municipal projects replacing residential water-service lines made from lead.
Andrew Cuomo’s office.
Although the construction industry’s use of lead pipes fell out of general favor in the 1930s, many still exist, as do lead-solder fixtures and brass and chrome-plated brass faucets.
Lead is a toxic metal that can be harmful to humans even at low exposure levels.
It also tends to “bioaccumulate,” according to the EPA, meaning it builds up over time to deliver a more solid punch.
Low exposure levels in children have been linked to central and peripheral nervous system damage, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing and irregular blood-cell activity.
In pregnant women, bioaccumulated lead (it hides in the bones) is released in place of maternal calcium and becomes part of the fetal bone structure, reducing fetal growth rates and often leading to premature birth.
With the health risks high, the $20 million package announced Monday will fund “critical improvements to New York’s drinking-water infrastructure” that will not only protect the public wellbeing but “lay the foundation for future growth and economic prosperity in these communities,” Cuomo said Monday.
The largest award – by region and by individual project – went to New York City, which earned roughly $5.32 million to support a single citywide replacement plan.
All grant moneys will be used exclusively to replace lead service lines between municipal water mains and residences – a critical improvement for residents whose homes are serviced by older lines, according to Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, who insists that “reducing lead exposure, especially in children, should always be a top priority.” “Public health begins with access to clean drinking water,” the MD said in a statement.