Rep. Tonko, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan Discuss Water Safety Concerns

WAMC Northeast Public Radio

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Capital Region Congressman Paul Tonko hosted a panel discussion in his Albany office Wednesday on the human impacts and local planning to remove lead drinking water components in active use.

Tonko, a Democrat, is one of the few engineers serving in Congress. Earlier this year he introduced AQUA, the Assistance, Quality, and Affordability Act, which would have invested $45 billion over 10 years to remove the country's millions of operating lead service lines. This week the Senate voted to pass a $1 trillion dollar infrastructure bill that includes $15 billion for the effort.

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, also a Democrat, says city hall has been pro-active when it comes to lead remediation. Residents were sent fliers with their water bills which showed how to determine via a "scratch test" whether the service coming into their homes contained lead or not. She says while it gave many people peace of mind, it brought worry and concern to those affected by lead.