Thousands of Long Islanders — mostly in Nassau County — drink water that flows through aging lead pipes.

That could expose area residents to toxins that can cause kidney disease, anemia, high blood pressure and other medical concerns, along with neurological damage to children.

Federal regulations require lead pipes, particularly the service lines that connect a water main to each house or building, to be identified, removed and replaced by 2037.

But that's easier said than done.

It's a complicated, costly endeavor, first to determine where each lead pipe is, and then to remove and replace it. According to a recent Newsday news analysis, on Long Island alone, there are more than 100,000 households with pipes made of unknown material — that could be lead.

Beyond that, with an enormous

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