Buffalo Water Secures $11.5 Million in Federal Funding to Accelerate Lead Service Line Replacements

Buffalo Water has announced the approval of $8,061,200 in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Lead Service Line Replacement (BIL-LSLR) grant funding and $3,454,800 in interest-free financing, totaling over $11.5 million in financial support for its Lead Service Line Replacement Project. This funding comes after a review by the New York State Department of Health (DOH) for Federal Fiscal Year 2025 BIL-LSLR funding through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).

The investment, secured through a funding application submitted to New York State Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration, will enable Buffalo Water to expand its efforts to remove outdated lead service lines. These upgrades aim to ensure safer drinking water for thousands of City residents.

"Buffalo Water has been diligent in searching for funding to replace the thousands of lead service lines in the City of Buffalo," said Oluwole "OJ" McFoy, Chair of the Buffalo Water Board. "Replacing lead service lines can be expensive for homeowners. With this significant funding from the DOH, Buffalo Water can lift some of the financial burden off our customers, continue modernizing Buffalo's water infrastructure, and provide every resident with safe, reliable drinking water."

In 2023, Buffalo Water launched its Service Line Inventory Map, which allows residents to identify where lead and unknown service lines exist throughout the City. Public participation is critical to the project's success, and residents are encouraged to complete the Service Line Survey at getwaterwisebuffalo.org. The more surveys completed, the more accurate and detailed the inventory map becomes, helping prioritize homes for lead service line replacements and improving the City’s chances of securing additional state and federal funding.

Buffalo Water highlighted the invaluable contributions of its Community Care Worker Coalition (CCWC) partners, including Open Buffalo and the Community Health Center of Buffalo. These organizations have played a key role in outreach, community engagement, and data collection, raising public awareness and driving survey participation.

For more information on Buffalo Water's Lead Service Line Replacement Project, visit getwaterwisebuffalo.org.