Clean drinking water is a right in New York state, but a look at national data shows that lead is seeping its way into some faucets. Recent data shows up to 10 million American households connect to water through lead pipes.

Megan Deichler said it was only shortly after the birth of her daughter that she realized the depth of her city’s lead water crisis.

“Seeing the health consequences of lead exposure, particularly on children, they include developmental disability," the Poughkeepsie council member said. "It's just, it's, it's terrifying.”

Poughkeepsie’s lead water level is among the highest in New York. But the state as a whole has work to do, as it has approximately the sixth most lead service lines in the nation, according to an April U.S. Environmental Protection Agency projection.

Rep. Pat Ryan is looking to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill for support. New York has received over $115 million from the infrastructure bill to go toward the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. Ryan said the bill has $15 billion earmarked for lead pipe removals nationwide.

Poughkeepsie will apply to receive a part of those funds this month.

“I am certainly committed and making sure that we are fighting to get the maximum resources in dollars to address this with the urgency that is called for," Ryan said.

EPA was also on the ground in Poughkeepsie to survey the range of lead issues. Ryan said the more agencies that view firsthand how much the funds are needed, the more likely the city is to receive them.

City Mayor Marc Nelson said they will need about $163 million to get the job done.

“This is not something that we're going to get done in a year or two, but we are in a position in time because of the largesse of our federal partners and the partnerships that you've seen here today to take a big bite out of this problem," Nelson said.

With her baby to look out for, Diechler said there are some ways residents can reduce the impact of lead right now.

“Using things like filters, but making sure that the filter is certified to remove lead cooking with cold water," she said. "So when you are cooking pasta or rice and you're filling up your pot, making sure that you're filling it up with cold water because the heat from the hot water actually causes more leaching of the lead pipes."

In a separate but related development in the Hudson Valley, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday that Temple Park in Wappingers Falls was safe to reopen after soil analysis showed lead levels meet state and federal safety standards for children’s play areas.

The park was temporarily closed due to reports of elevated lead levels from old overhead cables, but the state found no evidence of elevated or widespread lead contamination in the area sampled.