Lead-lined drinking water pipes are a problem across the country. In Albany, nearly half of all homes in the city face the problem.

“It’s estimated that 40% of the homes in Albany fall into this category, with a majority of them being built before 1940,” Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan says.

Lead-contaminated water poses a serious health risk to all who encounter it, especially young children.

“We all know lead can cause irreversible damage, lifelong health effects, including decreased IQ, focus and academic achievement,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan says.

“No child in America should be asked to drink water out of lead pipes," Paul Tonko said. "Lead-contaminated pipes. So this issue is an economic one and a moral one.”

Local, state and federal levels are collaborating to combat the problem.

At the federal level, the House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better plan on Tuesday, paving the way for funds to be distributed to fight the contamination.

In the city of Albany, residents can have their water tested and apply for reimbursement of up to $2,000 to replace the pipes.

“This hidden infrastructure beneath our communities is not a case of out of sight and out of mind," Tonko says. "So we are ready for the action. We started robustly yesterday. We’re going to carry this one to the finish line, and by October, we’re going to see great investment into infrastructure.”

The goal is clear: Provide clean and safe drinking water for future generations.

“It is my hope to ensure that the next generation won’t even know what a lead-service line is,” Regan says.

Tonko said it will get done.

“As President Biden said, we want to remove all of these pipes from our system," Tonko said. "And we’ll get it done. We’ll get it done.”