New York state needs more than $800 million to replace hundreds of thousands of lead pipes.

But Congressman Brian Higgins says the state is only expected to get a little more than $600 million right now. New York has approximately 360,000 lead service lines which would cost an estimated $883.7 million to be addressed.

He says that's because the most recent survey for these needs was done in 2015 and is no longer accurate. 

"One of the goals of the Infrastructure Law was to remove and replace every lead service line in America, ensuring every child, family and household has access to clean drinking water," said Congressman Higgins. "There is funding is in this law to finally make that happen, we just have to work to ensure it reaches the communities that need it most."

Higgins, along with other members of Congress, are asking for a new survey to update how money is split up among states.

In the letter from Higgins and his colleagues, they note, “According to two surveys sponsored by the American Water Works Association, the seven states with the greatest prevalence of LSLs had 50% of the nation’s total.  Yet based on the 2015 DWINSA, EPA would only allot 18% of LSLR funding to those seven states bearing the majority of LSL burden."

The funding is part of The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

That includes $55 billion to improve access to clean water with $15 billion specifically for lead service line removal.

In addition to New York, 13 other states including Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and New Jersey would also see large shortfalls, while many states would receive more funding than needed to remove lead service lines.