Lead Pipe Inspections Continue In Newark (See Latest Update)

NEWARK, NJ — State officials have released a new update about an ongoing series of audits involving Newark’s battle against lead water contamination.

Five years ago, Newark made national headlines when it confronted a lead water crisis. At one point, the lead levels at some points in the city’s drinking water had risen to 47 parts per billion at some sites, more than three times the federal threshold. It prompted an outcry from residents – and a lawsuit from advocates.

Newark eventually identified two sources of the contamination. One was the way the city treated its water, which allowed excess corrosion to take place in aging pipes. The city responded by rolling out a new method of treating its water, which is also sold to several nearby towns and cities in Essex County.

The second issue wasn’t as quick of a fix, however.

Newark officials traced some of the contamination to lead-lined service pipes leading to thousands of local homes. The pipes – which connect local homes and businesses to the local water supply – can potentially leach contamination as water passes through them. A portion of the pipes may be privately owned, complicating efforts to replace them.

Despite the challenges and scope of the project, Newark has since replaced more than 20,000 lead service pipes, a massive effort that got a big thumbs up from officials including Vice President Kamala Harris. See Related: Lead Pipes And Newark: Kamala Harris Returns To NJ To Praise City

But earlier this year, a new speedbump emerged.

In February, officials announced that the city is carrying out a new audit of its drinking water infrastructure. The problem? A “third party” provider may not have done the job they were supposed to, officials said.

A recent notice on the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s website gives some background about the issue – and what’s been done since its discovery:

“In January 2024, the City of Newark and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) were advised of concerns that, in some cases, third parties hired to replace lead service lines in Newark may not have complied with all requirements for full line replacement (ex. from the water meter inside a home to the water main in the street). In response, Newark and the NJDEP immediately launched an audit to identify affected properties and commence inspections to verify compliance with lead service line replacement requirements to ensure the continued safety of all residents.

“This audit process includes both a targeted and randomized data assessment and, based on the review of this data and information, additional properties may be identified for physical inspection.

“Between January 19 and August 5 of this year, the targeted audit resulted in 388 service line excavations. Thirty of the properties that were excavated were found to contain some remaining lead components, which were expeditiously replaced.

“Between May 21 and August 15 of this year, 313 service lines were excavated from statistically significant sample of 387 addresses selected for the randomized audit. Two addresses were found to contain some remaining lead components and have either been replaced or are being scheduled for replacement soon.

“Newark and the NJDEP will continue these audits over the next several weeks. During this time, some residents may be contacted by Newark to participate in an inspection to verify the full replacement of their lead service line. If and where any remaining lead components are identified, they will be immediately replaced.

“Importantly, the NJDEP has confirmed that Newark’s corrosion control treatment has been optimized to protect residents whose water may come in contact with plumbing that may still contain lead components. Newark has demonstrated compliance with the federal lead and copper rule. Unless you are contacted by Newark to participate in an inspection of your service line, there is nothing you need to do at this time.”

• See Related: Newark Ramps Up Home Inspections As It Probes New Water Woes
• See Related: ‘Not A Cause For Panic’: Newark’s Lead Water Battle Isn’t Over

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