The Civic Issue
An estimated 119,000+ lead service lines deliver drinking water to NYC homes. 1 in 5 New Yorkers may drink lead-contaminated water. At the current replacement pace, full removal would take 100+ years. Only 59% of eligible property owners are participating in DEP's Lead Service Line Replacement Program (LSLRP). The EPA's revised Lead and Copper Rule requires utilities to inventory and replace lead service lines within 10 years.
Headline Spending
$19.8M
identifiable in budget
Budget Lines (Adopted)
$58.2M
13 lines
Vendor Spending
$38.3M
4 vendors
| Line | Adopted | Spent |
|---|---|---|
Lead Service Line Replacement OTPS UTILITY - OTPS | $0 | $0 |
LSLRP State Grant UTILITY - OTPS | $0 | $0 |
LSLRP State Grant PS WATER SUP. & WASTEWATER COLL | $0 | $0 |
WATER SUPPLY DRINKING WATER QU UTILITY - OTPS | $5.6M | $2.7M |
Cap to Exp BWSO Water Main Materials UTILITY - OTPS | $5.6M | $4.0M |
In-House Watermain Replacement OTPS IFA UTILITY - OTPS | $3.5M | $1.9M |
In-House Watermain Replacement PS IFA WATER SUP. & WASTEWATER COLL | $2.7M | $1.5M |
BWSO Water Main Leak Reduction PS WATER SUP. & WASTEWATER COLL | $2.1M | $1.4M |
WATER SUPPLY MANDATES UTILITY - OTPS | $2.0M | $578.3K |
WATER SUPPLY & WASTEWATER SEWE WATER SUP. & WASTEWATER COLL | $16.7M | $9.8M |
WATER SUPPLY SOURCES UTILITY - OTPS | $12.8M | $4.1M |
WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM OPERATIONS UTILITY - OTPS | $6.7M | $1.5M |
Emergency Water Main Contracts UTILITY - OTPS | $600.0K | $181.3K |
| DELPHI PLUMBING & HEATING INC | $22.8M | 106 txns |
| NATIONAL WATER MAIN CLEANING CO | $12.4M | 79 txns |
| P&T II CONTRACTING CORP (LSLRP) | $3.0M | 29 txns |
| METROFAB PIPE CO INC | $174.3K | 12 txns |
Total Identifiable Spending
$19.8M in LSLRP contracts (capital) + $2.96M in LSLRP vendor spending (FY2026 cash) — within DEP's $267.6M water supply budget
The Lead Service Line Replacement Program has $19.8M in active contracts across Bronx and Queens — but the dedicated LSLRP budget lines are all $0/$0/$0 in FY2026. The program is funded through the capital budget, not expense budget. P&T II Contracting, the primary LSLRP contractor, received $2.96M in FY2026 spending across 29 transactions, indicating active field work. The broader water supply infrastructure budget is $267.6M adopted (water mains, treatment, operations), with Delphi Plumbing ($22.8M) and National Water Main Cleaning ($12.4M) as the largest water supply vendors. The "Water Main Materials" line nearly doubled mid-year ($5.6M → $9.8M), and "Emergency Water Main Contracts" tripled ($600K → $2.1M), suggesting accelerating infrastructure needs.
The $19.8M in LSLRP contracts is a fraction of what 119,000 service line replacements would cost (estimated $4,000-$10,000 each = $476M-$1.19B total). Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding for lead pipe replacement flows through the state revolving fund, not directly through city Checkbook. The EPA's 10-year mandate (by 2034) requires dramatically faster replacement than current spending supports. DEP's LSLRP budget lines exist but are unfunded — suggesting the program runs on capital appropriations approved separately from the annual expense budget.
Key Context
The EPA's revised Lead and Copper Rule (effective October 2024) requires all water systems to inventory lead service lines and begin a 10-year replacement clock. NYC has identified 119,000+ lead service lines but only 59% of eligible owners have enrolled. DEP offers free replacement for eligible lines. The three active LSLRP contracts cover only Bronx and Queens — Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island contracts are either not yet awarded or operating under different programs. The "WATER SUPPLY MANDATES" line ($2.0M) likely includes compliance costs for the Lead and Copper Rule among other federal/state requirements.