MUA Says Lacey's Water Is Safe, Disputes Non-Compliance Report

LACEY, NJ — A letter sent to Lacey residents from the township Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) has sparked concerns about the safety of drinking water in town.

But officials say there is no need to worry.

The MUA letter, dated April 26, 2024, alerts residents that the water system violated a New Jersey drinking water requirement. You can read the full letter here.

Over a six-month period between July 1, 2023 to Dec. 31, 2023, the optimal Water Quality Parameters (WQP) sample, based on values set by the state Department of Environmental Protection, did not meet the optimal values for 164 days, according to the MUA. The system cannot be below minimum levels or outside the set range for more than nine days.

These parameters have to do with corrosion control in the pipes that prevent lead and copper from dissolving into the water supply.

MUA officials said not to be alarmed, as the most recent monitoring shows the township is in compliance with federal lead and copper levels.

"This is not an emergency," the MUA said in the letter, adding that if the township exceeded the lead levels, residents would be notified within 24 hours.

"This violation does not mean there is confirmed lead and/or copper in your drinking water," the letter said. There was no contamination found in the township's water, the MUA said.

In response to the DEP, the MUA said that they had only received notice of the violation on March 27, 2024 - six months after the violation apparently began.

Optimum pH levels were 6.5 to 8.5 for more than 30 years but were recently changed to 7.0 to 8.0, according to the MUA. The lowest level detected was 6.8, according to the MUA.

"We do not believe the results submitted by the Contracted Laboratory were accurate," the MUA said, and asked that the DEP rescind their notice of non-compliance.

"The safety of Lacey Township's Drinking water is Paramount and we do not take that responsibility lightly," the MUA said.