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Making Water Affordable and Accountable | Buffalo in Transition
Anna Blatto — Jun 6, 2025
Buffalo sits on one of the world’s largest freshwater sources, but many residents still struggle to afford water. Rates have increased five times since 2006, and in a single year, over 2,500 occupied homes were shut off, many for owing less than $1,000. The system lacks transparency and is managed by a private company under a quietly renewed $7.8 million annual contract. This brief outlines how Buffalo can restore public control, prevent shutoffs, create income-based rates, and …
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The Role of Water in Buffalo's Lead Exposure Crisis
Daniel Cadzow — Jan 31, 2022
This policy brief was drafted by Daniel Cadzow, Policy Fellow at PPG and an advocate for environmental justice and equitable transportation infrastructure. The brief finds that Buffalo’s lead in water levels are more troubling than many residents realize stemming from our manufacturing history and combined sewage overflow system. The author detail his own home’s susceptibility to lead contamination and demonstrates that lead may appear in dangerous, unpredictable bursts. Lower …