Here’s How To Find Out If You Have Lead Pipes
Dec 16, 2024 brooklyn,brooklyn real estate,brooklyn realty,lead,map,new york,pipe,realty collective,research,which building
As much as 30% of the pipes delivering water to New Yorkers may be made of lead, reported Gothamist this week. And while those odds may be in your favor, it’s certainly more comforting to know for sure whether your building’s pipes are affected. Fortunately, you have a few tools at your disposal.
You can start by finding your building on this map created by the New York League of Conservation Voters. While you can’t search by address, you can zoom in to find your building’s footprint, and the streets are labeled. If your building is red, your pipes are likely made of lead, while a yellow building indicates your pipes aren’t lead. Unfortunately, white buildings do not offer definitive answers.
If that’s the case for your building (or if you just believe in being certain), you have a more direct avenue for finding out whether you have lead in your pipes – the city’s free testing kit. The City’s Environmental Protection site offers helpful information about how to order the kit yourself (this short, online form) and how to test your water once you receive your kit. They also offer some advice about the next steps and ways to reduce your exposure, should your building’s pipes test positive.
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