State guide
New York
New York’s state lead-service-line program is grant-based and run through the Department of Health’s drinking water program. Responsibility for the service line itself is highly local: New York City places the whole line on the owner, Rochester says the owner owns the whole line but the city repairs some street-side leaks, and other cities split responsibility at the curb stop or curb box.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who usually owns the water service line
- Ownership is utility-specific in New York: some cities place the whole service line on the owner, while others split responsibility at the curb stop or curb box or keep limited street-side leak duties.
- State drinking water program
- New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Water Supply Protection
- State lead service line page
- Official page →
- Permits for repair or replacement
- Permit rules are local rather than statewide; in New York City, DEP requires permits for tapping, plugging, or repairing water service lines and only licensed plumbers may apply.
- Assistance programs
- New York State’s LSLRP provides grant funds to some municipalities for full line replacement from the water main to the residence, while NYC offers a free replacement program for currently eligible properties and a voluntary repair-protection program.
Official resources in New York
State drinking-water program landing page for public-water requirements and resident resources.
Main state lead page with health guidance and funding links for municipalities.
Official state page describing New York’s lead service line replacement grant program.
Official NYC page explaining owner responsibility and the voluntary repair-protection option.
Official Rochester page with active replacement projects and project contact information.
Key facts for New York
- New York’s Lead Service Line Replacement Program was created by the Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017.
- NYSDOH says LSLRP funds are used to replace the entire residential lead service line from the municipal main to the residence.
- NYC says property owners own and are responsible for maintaining their water service lines.
- Buffalo says the owner is responsible from the street main to the house, including the water service box and shutoff valve.
- Rochester says the entire service line is owned by the property owner, but the Water Bureau repairs leaks between the main and curb stop.
- Albany says the City does not own any portion of the service line, but can assist customers with replacement of services.
Utility water service line rules in New York
| Utility | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| NYS DOH Bureau of Water Supply Protection Albany | Albany | 518-402-7600 | State drinking-water office for public-water-supplier lead requirements and resident referrals. |
| NYC DEP Bureau of Customer Service New York | New York | 718-595-7000 | DEP customer-service contact used for water meter issues and homeowner service questions. |
| DEP Service Line Protection Program New York | New York | (888) 300-3570 | Voluntary repair-protection enrollment contact listed on the official DEP page. |
| Buffalo Water Customer Service & Billing Erie | Buffalo | 716-847-1065 | Official Buffalo Water contact for homeowner service-line responsibility and service shutoff scheduling. |
| Project Management Team Monroe | Rochester | 585-428-7049 | Official Rochester replacement-project contact for active lead service line work on city streets. |
| Albany Water Department Albany | Albany | Not published* | Official contact on Albany lead-line pages for service-material confirmation and replacement coordination. |
| Syracuse Water Department Lead Program Onondaga | Syracuse | Not published* | Official lead-line replacement contact for inventory, scheduling, filters, and testing questions. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Check your city or utility inventory map first because ownership and replacement options differ sharply within New York.
- If you are in New York City, repair or replacement work on service lines requires DEP permitting and licensed-plumber involvement.
- If your municipality offers coordinated lead-line work, contact it before replacing the private side so the public side, records, and any grant funding stay aligned.
Not seeing your utility or county?
We list a utility only when an official government page publishes its rules. If yours isn't in the table above, it may not publish them online yet. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across New York, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from New York's population center, for comparison only):
- Department of Water & Sewer Utilities, New Jersey · about 58 miles
- Newark Water and Sewer Emergency Call Center, New Jersey · about 58 miles
- Utility Service Affiliates Water Service Department, New Jersey · about 69 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.NYSDOH Lead in Drinking Water
Website →Phone: (518) 402-7600 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the New York page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.
Helpful guides
- Who is responsible for the water line to your house?
- The curb stop, meter and property line, explained
- Water line leak in your yard: what to do
- Water service line replacement costs
Water line responsibility check →