ALBANY COUNTY — New York water systems are making progress identifying the lead pipes connecting buildings to water mains, but the material of more than 878,000 service lines remains unknown, according to a September report from the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
The report, an update to a 2025 study, identifies approximately 286,550 lines — out of 3.8 million — statewide that require replacement, including about 245,700 lead lines.
The inventories are intended to help water systems locate lead pipes, track replacement work, and direct funding where it’s needed; the federal health goal for lead in drinking water is zero…