Newark Hands Out Thousands Of Lead Water Filters After Lawsuit

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Corrosion control is “no longer effective” in some parts of Newark’s water network. 15,000 homes may be affected, the Sierra Club says.

NEWARK, NJ — Newark officials have kicked off a massive effort to distribute lead water filters to residents after a recent study revealed that corrosion control is “no longer effective” in some parts of the city’s water network.

On Friday, officials announced that municipal workers and community groups will go door-to-door and hand out free filters to residents of homes with lead service lines, the suspected source of the issue.

Homes built before 1986 – the year that lead lines were banned – may be most commonly at-risk, officials said. Affected properties include various parts of the north ward, parts of the south ward, the west ward and the central ward, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said Friday.

There are at least 15,000 homes with lead services lines in Newark, the New Jersey Sierra Club estimates.

Residents and businesses without lead service lines “do not need to be concerned about lead in their water,” officials said.

According to city officials, lead can pose a significant risk to one’s health if too much enters the body. Lead builds up in the body over many years and can cause brain damage, and impact red blood cells and kidneys. The greatest risk is to young children and pregnant women. Amounts of lead that won’t hurt adults can slow down normal and mental and physical development of growing bodies. In addition, a child at play often comes into contact with sources of lead contamination like dirt and dust that rarely affect an adult.

The New Jersey Department of Health is recommending that impacted families use bottled water for infants who are being fed with formula until they have water filters installed, said Mark Wade, director of the Newark Department of Health and Community Wellness.

Wade added:

“Children under six should also have bottled water until water filters are made available to impacted families. Newark will immediately make every possible effort to target pregnant or nursing women, families with young children, and senior citizens with information about how to obtain and use filters using every means of communication at our disposal.”

City officials added:

“It is important to note that under these circumstances, for properties with lead service lines, the standard practice of flushing tap water prior to use is not considered effective for reducing exposure to lead in drinking water. Residents are advised to not flush their home water lines by running tap water as it could increase lead levels.”

According to municipal officials, Newark owns its water mains but does not own the service lines that connect the city water supply to homes. Lead is introduced into the water when it dissolves out of lead service lines connecting Newark’s water supply to homes.

The issue only affects homes with lead service lines or plumbing that contains lead, Director of Newark Water and Sewer Utilities Andrea Adebowal emphasized.

“In addition, the city will continue to provide free lead testing for anyone who suspects that his or her service line might be made of lead,” Adebowal said. “We are taking these measures to reduce the risk of exposure during the period that new corrosion control measures are put in place.”

The city will also help property owners replace their lead service lines as part of the overall remediation effort, officials said.

Gov. Phil Murphy said that he "fully supports" the city's effort to respond to the issue.

"Our first priority is assuring the health of our residents, and so we urge everyone to follow the guidance from state and local officials," Murphy said. "My administration stands ready to provide any assistance necessary."

On Friday, a statement from Murphy's office said that Newark's recent actions were taken in response to a "notification from the EPA regarding lead level exceedances."

According to Murphy's office:

"On the afternoon of October 1, 2018, DEP received a notification from EPA regarding certain sampling results in the Newark system. Thereafter, on October 2, DEP spoke with Newark’s consultants about preliminary results of the corrosion control study. On October 11, 2018, Newark submitted the draft corrosion control treatment report. The preliminary results and report indicate that corrosion control for the Pequannock portion of Newark’s service area is no longer effective. In particular, the silicate is no longer providing a protective barrier on the lead service lines’ interior and the coating of the pipes is sloughing off into the drinking water supply."

‘A DIRECT RESULT OF CITIZENS TAKING A STAND’

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which filed a safe drinking water lawsuit with the Newark Education Workers (NEW Caucus) against the City of Newark in June, released the following statement on Friday:

“The city’s promise to provide its residents with filters is a direct result of Newark’s citizens taking a stand to protect their health and the health of their community. However, there is still a lot of work to be done.

“Newark’s water has some of the highest lead levels of any big city in the nation. They have known for more than a year, yet they’ve told residents it’s safe to drink. Providing water filters to those with lead service lines is an important step forward, but today’s action will not protect many of the people most at risk from lead exposure, including pregnant women and young children who may have high lead levels but don’t have known lead service lines.

“Given Newark’s track record of delay, denial and failure to properly inform the public of the threat from lead in Newark’s drinking water, it is important that residents hold city officials accountable to a legally enforceable timetable of action.”

On Friday, the New Jersey Sierra Club also offered an opinion about Newark’s water woes:

“Newark has reported elevated levels of lead in its tap water 12 times the accepted federal action level. The city has had lead problems in their drinking water at elevated levels for several months… In Newark alone, there are approximately 15,000 homes in which the water service lines connecting the property to the city's main water line are lead… In urban areas 25% of the water travelling through these pipes leak out. Newark, Paterson and Trenton have open-air finished reservoirs that contribute to the lead problems and they are not doing anything to enclose them.

Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, said that bringing in filters is only a stopgap measure.

“Just like bringing in bottled water into Camden, the Brita Filter Poland Spring solution does not work long-term,” Tittel said.

“There is a crisis to Newark’s water system and people’s health is at risk,” Tittel added. “Newark and the state of New Jersey need to move quickly to find a permanent solution to protect drinking water in homes and schools from lead.”

ARE YOU AFFECTED? HOW TO FIND OUT, WHAT TO DO

According to city officials, affected residents who want to get their children’s blood tested for lead levels should talk to their health care provider or the Newark Department of Health and Community Wellness at 973-733-5323. Residents who wish to learn more about getting tested for possible exposure to lead can find more information here.

City officials advised residents to call 973-733-6303 to find out if they have a lead service line, or to visit the following website if they think they may be affected: https://www.newarkleadserviceline.com/

Residents can have their water tested at no charge by contacting the Department of Water and Sewer Utilities at (973) 733-6303 or emailing waterandsewer@ci.newark.nj.us to request an inspection.

Starting Saturday, Oct. 13, the filters can also be picked up at the Boylan Recreation Center at 916 South Orange Avenue, and the Department of Health and Community Wellness at 110 William Street from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Several Recreation Centers, along with City Hall, Central Avenue and the Health Department will open for residents to collect filters and replacement cartridges. These recreation centers will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. during the week of October 15.

During the week of October 22, the distribution centers will be open from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. City Hall and Newark’s Health Department will remain distribution locations Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

The Water and Sewers Facility will operate from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, through November 1.

Centers include:

  • Boylan Recreation Center: 916 South Orange Avenue

  • John F. Kennedy Recreation Center: 211 West Kinney Street (entrance on Howard Street)

  • Vince Lombardi Center of Hope: 201 Bloomfield Avenue

  • St. Peter’s Recreation Center: 378 Lyons Avenue

  • Hayes Park West Recreation: 179 Boyd Street

  • The Water and Sewers Facility: 239 Central Avenue

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