Newark Lead Water Update: New Probe Sparks Worries (What To Know)

NEWARK, NJ — The saga of Newark’s battle with lead contamination isn’t over yet, it seems.

On Tuesday, Newark officials announced that the city is carrying out an audit after leftover lead components were found at three of four properties that shouldn’t have had them.

Kareem Adeem, the city’s water and sewer director, offered more details about the situation. He wrote:

“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.”

“Between January 19 and February 1, 2024, Newark and the NJDEP conducted initial inspections at four properties where lead service lines should have been replaced in full,” Adeem continued. “At three of the four properties, some remaining lead components were found on the street side, between the curb and water main.”

These remaining lead components were immediately replaced, he said.

“Newark and the NJDEP will continue this audit over the next several weeks,” Adeem said. “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,” Adeem said.

“Newark has demonstrated compliance with the federal lead and copper rule,” he added. “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. This notice is part of our promise to you to keep you informed.”

Three 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 almost 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
• See Related: Newark's Lead Water Crisis Has 'Effectively Ended,' Mayor Says
• See Related: Newark Turns Page On Lead Water Crisis; Lawsuit Settled

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