Senator Charles Schumer is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to exempt new fire hydrants from a reduced-lead drinking water law.
The EPA recently included fire hydrants to the measure two months ago in an effort to lower the number of lead poisoning cases.
That means all new and stored hydrants must be retrofitted or replaced by January 4th to meet requirements.
"The EPA's absurd interpretation of the reduced lead standards will cause the city of Rochester and Monroe County water authority will be forced to throw out hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of fire hydrants," says Schumer. "The kind of lead poisoning that they are worried about doesn't come from anybody drinking from fire hydrant water."
If the EPA doesn't voluntarily waive fire hydrants from the law, Schumer says Congress is ready to pass a law placing fire hydrants on the list of devices that are already exempt such as bath tub and shower parts.
City environmental officials say fire hydrants are used a handful of times annually to temporarily supply drinking water to residents.