You may have received a notice that you have lead pipes in your home. Many homes in our area have them. The City treats the water with a chemical to prevent corrosion of the pipes, so the water is generally safe to drink. The pipes under your property are your responsibility to replace and the pipes from the end of your property to the main in the street are the City’s responsibility. To replace the pipes, a plumber needs to apply for a permit and the City coordinates with them on the installation so both can be changed at the same time. A bill was introduced in the City Council last year that would mandate lead pipe replacement in 10 years, enforced by fines. In other municipalities, the federal government paid for the replacement of both segments of the line in the interest of public health. NYC decided to do that for select homeowners in the Bronx, but the rest of us are on our own. American Water Resources will only pay for replacement of a lead pipe if it needs repair, not simply because it contains lead. So much for being a “progressive” city.