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MONDAY, AUGUST 25, 2025

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Dear New Yorkers,

More than one-third of home test kits sent in by residents to the city’s environmental agency over the past decade had some level of lead.

THE CITY analyzed the test kit results from 2014 through 2024 and found that 35% of kits showed some lead present and that 4.3% of kits had at least one draw that exceeded the level required for federal action.

Lead is one of the most dangerous contaminants in drinking water, hazardous even at very low levels. At high levels in the bloodstream, it can cause irreversible health problems, including neurological defects, reproductive issues and other serious conditions.

More than 119,000 of the city’s underground service lines, which connect the water supply to individual buildings, are made of lead, and another 110,000 are of an unknown material, according to city Department of Environmental Protection records. But even those numbers are uncertain. Read more here about our investigation into lead pipes and contamination.

Weather ⛅

A 20 percent chance of showers before 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.

MTA 🚇

No late night R between Whitehall St-South Ferry and 59 St, Brooklyn from 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday. Find all the MTA’s planned changes and the latest delays here.

Alternate side parking 🚙

It’s in effect today, Aug. 25.

By the way…

If you ever spot coyote couple Romeo and Juliet in Central Park, here’s what you should do and how to report the sighting.

Our Other Top Stories

Mayor Eric Adams on Friday worked to distance his administration from the former staffers indicted this week on more bribery charges, but stopped short of condemning any of their alleged behavior. He also insisted that he had nothing to do with longtime ally Winnie Greco giving a wad of cash to CITY reporter after a campaign event this week.  New York City has long touted its water supply as the “Champagne of Drinking Water” thanks to nearly 2,000 miles of protected reservoirs upstate. But that doesn’t mean your tap water is free of lead. Here’s how you can test your water and take steps to protect yourself. Photographer Stanley Greenberg opens up his conversation with Harry Siegel and guest host Lizzie Walsh in the latest off-cycle episode of the FAQ NYC podcast, about his epic new book Waterworks: The Hidden Water System of New York.

Things To Do

Here are some free and low-cost things to do around the city this week.

Monday, Aug. 25: Help design an Italian heritage herb garden, while also learning from horticultural experts ​​​​​​at the Dongan Hills Library in Staten Island. Session starts at noon.  Tuesday, Aug. 26: Run or walk about 3 miles at Brooklyn Bridge Park with the New York Road Runners starting at 7 p.m. Free, register here. Friday, Aug. 29: Watch “Field of Dreams” on the diamond at the Whitey Ford Field in Queens. The movie starts at dusk. Free and no registration required.

THE KICKER: Waymo will test their self-driving cars in Manhattan and Brooklyn through late September.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Monday.

Love,

THE CITY

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