Lead pipes in Erie County, New York
How many lead pipes are in Erie County, NY?
Water systems based in Erie County reported 34,535 lead service lines, 5,330 galvanized lines that need replacing and 76,493 lines of unknown material to EPA (Q3 2026). Buffalo has the most, with 34,318 lead and galvanized lines.
Free replacement program confirmed
Who pays in New York
New York has no state law setting who pays for the private side, but the state Environmental Facilities Corporation has given cities large grants for lead line work, including the Lead Service Line Replacement Program and LIFT grants. Most large programs in the state, including New York City, Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo, are free or nearly free for eligible owners.
Confirmed programs in Erie County
- Buffalo: Help for low-income households (ROLL).
- Erie County (ECWA): Free, goal of finishing by 2027-2028.
Every Erie County water system with lead lines
Systems are grouped by the county EPA lists as their main service area. Some serve towns in neighboring counties too.
| Water system | Lead | Galv. | Unknown | Program |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Buffalo Water Authority | 34,208 | 110 | 35,839 | Free for eligible owners |
| Erie County (ECWA) Ecwa Direct | 248 | 4,798 | 15,383 | Free replacement |
| Hamburg Ecwa Hamburg (V) | 52 | 121 | 1,392 | Not confirmed |
| Amherst Ecwa Amherst | 3 | 56 | 1,514 | Not confirmed |
| Akron Akron Village | 0 | 46 | 406 | Not confirmed |
| Alden Alden Village | 0 | 38 | 0 | Not confirmed |
| Angola Ecwa Evans | 0 | 34 | 1,071 | Not confirmed |
| North Collins North Collins Village | 10 | 22 | 250 | Not confirmed |
| Angola Angola Village | 3 | 15 | 494 | Not confirmed |
| West Seneca Ecwa West Seneca | 1 | 16 | 599 | Not confirmed |
| Collins Collins WDS #1 and #2 | 0 | 14 | 398 | Not confirmed |
| Kenmore Kenmore Village | 1 | 11 | 5,272 | Not confirmed |
| Kenmore Tonawanda, Town Water Dept. | 5 | 7 | 11,426 | Not confirmed |
| Lancaster Ecwa Lancaster | 1 | 10 | 406 | Not confirmed |
| Orchard Park Ecwa Orchard Park | 1 | 7 | 608 | Not confirmed |
| Springville Springville Village | 0 | 6 | 0 | Not confirmed |
| East Aurora East Aurora Village | 0 | 6 | 457 | Not confirmed |
| Newstead Ecwa Newstead | 0 | 5 | 42 | Not confirmed |
| Orchard Park Orchard Park Village | 0 | 4 | 865 | Not confirmed |
| Boston Ecwa Boston | 0 | 2 | 71 | Not confirmed |
| Brant Town of Brant | 0 | 2 | 0 | Not confirmed |
| Farnham Farnham Village | 2 | 0 | 0 | Not confirmed |
Common questions
How many lead pipes are in Erie County, NY?
Water systems based in Erie County reported 34,535 lead service lines, 5,330 galvanized lines that need replacing and 76,493 lines of unknown material to EPA (Q3 2026). Buffalo has the most, with 34,318 lead and galvanized lines.
Who pays to replace lead service lines in Erie County?
It depends on your water utility. New York has no state law setting who pays for the private side, but the state Environmental Facilities Corporation has given cities large grants for lead line work, including the Lead Service Line Replacement Program and LIFT grants. We have confirmed programs for 2 Erie County utilities, listed on this page.
How do I find out if my house has a lead service line?
Look up your address on your water utility's service line inventory map, or check the pipe where it enters your home: lead is dull gray, soft, scratches to shiny silver, and a magnet won't stick. See our step-by-step guide.
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