Livingston Officials: ‘We Don’t Get Water From Newark’

LIVINGSTON, NJ — “The Township of Livingston does not now and has never received water from the City of Newark.” This was the message from municipal officials last week, as towns across Essex County continue to react to Newark’s ongoing issues with lead contamination.

New Jersey’s largest city has been dealing with elevated levels of lead in its water supply. Officials have estimated that about 18,000 Newark homes may have lead services lines, one of the suspected causes of the contamination.

• See related article: County Helps Newark Nab $120M In Loans To Fight Contamination

However, while some Essex County towns such as Belleville, Nutley and Bloomfield buy drinking water from Newark, Livingston isn’t in the same boat, officials said.

On Aug. 23, Livingston officials issued the following advisory:

“In light of the ongoing issues with the City of Newark's water, the Township of Livingston reminds residents that our water continues to be safe. The Township of Livingston does not now and has never received water from the City of Newark. Livingston's water is a combination of water produced from our own wells and water purchased from the New Jersey American Water Company. The Township of Livingston routinely tests and monitors the drinking water and it is compliant with all applicable state and federal standards. Our Water Quality Reports are available online, and printed copies are available upon request. The Water Quality Report can be accessed online here. Lead is not an issue in the treated water produced by the Township of Livingston’s wells or in the water we purchase from the New Jersey American Water Company. Lead is also not an issue in the water mains in the township's distribution system.”

Livingston officials added:

“In older homes, the older plumbing systems may contain leaded materials. If you have any concerns regarding the presence of lead in your water supply, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection recommends ‘Run water for 15-30 seconds or until it becomes cold or reaches a steady temperature before using it for drinking or cooking, if it hasn’t been used for several hours. This flushes lead-containing water from the pipes.’ This is a simple way to reduce the risk of lead exposure from plumbing in older buildings.”

For more information about Livingston’s drinking water, contact water@livingstonnj.org.

• See related article: Livingston Releases 2019 Water Quality Report

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