Lead Hazards
According to Federal regulations and guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), lead represents a hazard for all-particularly children, for whom no level of lead in the blood is safe. Most typically, consumers are exposed to lead through their drinking water carried through lead pipes, faucets, and fixtures. Older cities and homes built prior to 1986 may have lead service lines and pipes leading to houses, while homes with lead-soldered plumbing may result in exposure to lead in drinking water.
On the local, state, and federal level, efforts are underway to remediate and resolve lead in drinking water around the country.
Legislation
- Gov. Murphy Announces Plan for Lead Contamination Remediation
- PL 2018 Chapter 114 permits special assessments and issuing bonds to replace lead water lines.
- For more details please reference the League's August 31, 2018 letter and the League's blog post from August 2018.
- Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
Resources
Newark
- Online Water Fund
- Governor Murphy Tours Water Distribution Center, Announces Enhanced Efforts to Ensure Access to Clean Water for Newark Residents August 14, 2019
- Federal Government: EPA in New Jersey Newark Drinking Water
- Questions & Answers for Newark Drinking Water (PDF), August 11, 2019
- EPA Letter (PDF) to NJDEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe and Senator Ras Baraka
Federal Information
- General Federal Water information
- USGS Water Data for the Nation
- DOWNLOAD: EPA Infographic Sources of LEAD in Drinking Water (PDF)
- CDC Lead - About Lead in Drinking Water
Media Advisory/Media Reports
Taking Action to Resolve Newark's Drinking Water. August 26, 2019, Joint letter from New Jersey League of Municipalities, New Jersey Urban Mayors Association, and New Jersey Conference of Mayors.
National Action Needed Now to Get the Lead Out of Drinking Water
January 24, 2019 Call to action media advisory by Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr, NJLM President
Newark’s water crisis prompting other towns to ask: What about us? What we know. By Karen Yi, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. August 20, 2019.
Grants
Since lead hazards take many forms, visit the Grant News and Information page for grant information from the HUD Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes.
NJ Municipalities Magazine Articles
No Safe Lead Levels Protecting New Jersey’s children from lead exposure (PDF)
Article published in the March 2017 issue of NJ Municipalities magazine discussing protecting New Jersey’s children from lead exposure authored by Cathleen D. Bennett, then Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health.
Presentation
Getting The Lead Out-What Municipalities Can Do (PDF)
A sampling of case studies presented by Greg Krueger.
In the News - Articles
Bellmawr cuts off half of town's water supply after detection of dangerous chemical, October 17, 2019, Philly Voice.