BUFFALO, N.Y. — With the federal government's effort to help us recover from the COVID pandemic, there are relief programs like the American Rescue Plan that allow for some community improvements.
Now some of that plan's funding could reduce Buffalo's lead contamination problem.
Overall, the City of Buffalo gets $331 million from the American Rescue Plan, and now city leaders have decided to funnel at least $10 million into its already underway ROLL program; that stands for "replacing old lead lines. In this case, those are the service lines that actually connect to carry water into a home's basement for residents.
Oluwele McFoy is the general manager for the Buffalo Sewer Authority. He says: "To date we have replaced over 700 lead service lines, and we plan to make sure that with this money we can replace an additional 1,000."
The city can eventually draw its additional share for such work from the $15 billion pot of federal funding set aside for nationwide distribution from the separate Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act from Washington.
But while the service lines leading into homes can be replaced by the city, property owners should also seek to reduce contamination from lead solder in the indoor plumbing.
However, McFoy noted: "It's not a cheap thing to replace all of the plumbing throughout your house."
Mayor Byron Brown did say, "We will actually be using some of the American Rescue Plan funds to provide a grant-loan program to be able to help homeowners and landlords with that work as well."
But do landlords always cooperate?
Mayor Brown was actually corralled after his Friday news conference by some neighbors who say some rental properties even on here on the Fargo Avenue (site of the news conference) are not complying with lead abatement requirements.
Fargo Avenue resident Carmen Vazquez told 2 On Your Side, as she pointed at one home on her block: "That house has a lot of pipes that are lead, and anybody that goes in there, the children get it. And that's what's been done in the past. And I've been here for awhile, and I hear the same story over and over."
So, again, this warning from Mayor Brown: "If you have a home that requires remediation, that has lead, don't rent it. Don't rent it until you do the repairs. It is not going to be taken lightly."
We asked Vazquez, do you think Mayor Brown, now that you told him personally, will do anything?
Vazquez replied: "I hope so."