Press Releases

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $1,600,000 for the Erie County Water Authority (ECWA) to improve drinking water. This funding will specifically support the project to replace lead service lines and galvanized service lines throughout the ECWA’s direct service area, helping to offset the high cost of replacement and allowing the ECWA to prioritize homes with vulnerable populations. This project is part of the ECWA’s systemwide Lead Service Line Replacement Program and supports compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water standards.

“I am thrilled to deliver $1.6 million in federal funding to Erie County so families can have safer drinking water,” said Senator Gillibrand, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This project will increase access to clean and reliable drinking water and remove lead pipes that pose a threat to the health of our communities. I am proud to deliver these funds, and I will continue working to ensure that New Yorkers’ water is clean to drink.”

“No amount of lead is safe for children and families in Western NY, which is why I stood at an active lead pipe site in Erie County two years ago to push for more federal investment. Today, I am proud to announce that I have secured $1.6 million in federal funding so communities across Erie County can upgrade their drinking water systems, so families and local businesses have access to the clean drinking water they need and deserve,” said Senator Schumer. “I will always fight to keep New York’s drinking water clean and our communities safe and healthy.”

“No family in Western New York should ever have to worry about lead coming out of their tap,” said Congressman Tim Kennedy (D-NY-26). “This $1.6 million investment for the Erie County Water Authority will help replace dangerous lead service lines, prioritize homes with vulnerable populations, and move our region closer to safe, reliable drinking water for everyone. I was proud to fight alongside Senators Gillibrand and Schumer to secure this funding and ensure Erie County has the federal resources it needs to protect public health and keep families in Western New York safe.”

“Access to safe, lead-free drinking water is imperative for the health of all Erie County residents, especially our children and most vulnerable,” said Deputy County Executive Lisa Chimera. “Lead poisoning steals futures and is a problem we must approach from every possible angle. I thank Senators Schumer and Gillibrand for their work to secure funding that will expedite the process to remove and replace lead pipes and provide clean, safe drinking water for the residents of Erie County.”

“This funding will help leverage significant ECWA ratepayer dollars to remove lead service lines from our water system,” said ECWA Board of Commissioners Chairman Jerome D. Schad. “Thank you, Senator Gillibrand for investing in our community to protect public health and the environment to ensure that we continue our mission of delivering safe, high-quality drinking water to customers across the region.”

This project is a part of the $3,600,000 in federal funding allocated for critical local water infrastructure projects across Western New York in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Interior spending bill that passed in the Senate this week. Senator Gillibrand personally secured funding for these projects as congressionally directed spending requests.

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