> in theory they claim to be working hard to better coordinate this between agencies.

This is true. For the private sector, it works pretty well. Road digging permits are posted on their webpage 6+ months in advance. If you see one on a section of street you planned to do work on, you are allowed to piggyback on the project and share the cost. If you don’t, you pay the entire cost. So there is huge incentive to coordinate. But city agencies? Not quite so incentivized.

There’s lots of exceptions. The lead pipe hysteria and low pressure gas replacement is exempt from all of that.

Some states are more schizophrenic than others. New York is simultaneously mandating replacement with high pressure gas mains that require biannual inspection and banning gas lines.

Lead pipes are an engineering and chemistry issue. Pipes that are functioning properly don’t need replacement.