BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Buffalo Water Authority has quietly suspended a program that helped homeowners replace dangerous lead pipes, leaving dozens of residents without assistance for repairs that can cost thousands.

The Replacing Old Lead Lines program, known as ROLL, was paused without public notice, affecting homeowners like Mamie Walker who had been waiting months for help replacing her lead water pipes.

"Ask anybody around here, who really got $15 to $20,000?" Walker said. "That's what the program, city programs are implemented for, to help the less fortunate."

The ROLL program launched in 2019 to address Buffalo's massive lead pipe problem. The city has roughly 40,000 lead pipes needing replacement, ranking as the 14th-most in the country according to a 2024 report.

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