Lead Pipes In South Orange: NJ American Water Begins State-Mandated Replacements

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — New Jersey’s largest water provider has launched a state-mandated campaign to replace lead service pipes in South Orange.

Last week, New Jersey American Water (NJAW) began work in South Orange as part of its ongoing effort to replace lead service lines throughout the Garden State.

The company’s efforts are being done to comply with a landmark state law passed in 2021, which aims to protect New Jersey’s drinking water supply from lead contamination. Read More: New Jersey Is Replacing Its Lead Water Pipes – All Of Them

Under the law, hundreds of community water systems in New Jersey were given 10 years to replace all of their lead service lines. 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.

In South Orange, the burden of replacing the lines has fallen to NJAW, which purchased the town’s water distribution system in October 2025.

The sale required approval from local voters, who cast ballots via a public referendum in the 2024 election. A total of 4,779 people voted “yes” (61.94 percent) and 2,937 voted “no” (38.06 percent).

• See Related: South Orange Privatizes Its Water System, $19M Sale Finalized

NJAW said that it has been working closely with village officials in South Orange to review communications, plan construction activities and establish a “comprehensive approach” to identifying and replacing lead service lines.

As required by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, every property in South Orange will be inspected to confirm service line material – even if prior work or meter upgrades have occurred, the company said.

“By inspecting every property and replacing lead and galvanized lines as we go, we’re taking real, visible steps to protect drinking water and reduce unknown service lines across the village,” senior manager of operations Mike Malloy said.

Got pipes that needs replacement? Here’s what happens next, NJAW said:

“Once a service line is confirmed to be lead or galvanized steel, the replacement will be scheduled for a future date. While scheduling does not occur immediately following inspection and is completed by a separate crew, the service line replacement work itself is typically completed during a single day. During replacement, customers can expect a temporary water service interruption of approximately four hours. As part of this work in South Orange Village, New Jersey American Water will also install outdoor meter pits at each property to support future meter relocation and improve service efficiency. The utility-owned portion of the service line (from the water main to the curb) and/or the customer-owned portion (from the curb to the home) will be replaced if necessary.”

Following construction, temporary restoration is performed immediately to grant safe access to the property, NJAW said. However, permanent restoration – including sidewalks, driveways, curbs and lawns – is weather-dependent and may take place over a period of weeks or months.

According to NJAW, the replacement of lead service lines is funded through a separate surcharge that appears as a line item on customer water bills. The charge was approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.

The statewide approach allows New Jersey American Water to recover costs associated with replacing customer-owned lead and galvanized service lines as part of a “public health initiative,” rather than requiring eligible homeowners to pay a direct, upfront cost for replacement work on private property.

• See Related: Race To Replace Lead Pipes Is On Pace, NJ's Largest Water Company Says

UTILITY SEEKS RATE HIKE

The company recently announced that is asking state officials for permission to raise its customers' water and sewer bills to support over $1.4 billion in ongoing water and wastewater service system investments through December 2026.

The list of planned work includes “upgrades to aging water mains, hydrants and service lines as part of a broader capital program” in South Orange.

If approved, the company’s new rates would take effect the second half of 2026.

• See Related: NJ American Water Wants To Hike Rates For Garden State Customers

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