For Immediate Release
Contact: Megan Steele, Sierra Club NJ Chapter, megan.steele@sierraclub.org
Governor Murphy has signed A2863 (Moen) / S968 (Singleton) into law. The bill requires public water systems to provide notice of elevated lead levels in drinking water to customers and local officials. It also requires landlords to notify tenants of elevated lead levels.
“This new law is important because we have a serious problem with lead in New Jersey. This will help people find out if they have elevated lead levels. When people are educated and know about the problem, they will be able to put pressure on the government and water companies to fix the issue. Knowing if there are elevated lead levels in the drinking water should be a basic human right. We have a problem with water utilities and landlords not notifying people about elevated levels of lead, endangering public safety. That is why this legislation is so critical,” said Taylor McFarland, Chapter Coordinator, Sierra Club New Jersey Chapter. “By requiring public water systems and landlords to notify tenants of elevated lead levels in the water, less people will be at risk. This legislation will help protect residents from being exposed to lead in their water.”
Lead is a dangerous substance that can have serious health impacts, especially on children. In urban areas 25% of the water travelling through these pipes leak out. Newark, Paterson and Trenton have open-air finished reservoirs that contribute to the lead problems and they are not doing anything to enclose them.
“This law is a step in the right direction, but we have a lot more to do. Lead has become an ongoing issue in New Jersey. Lead is one of the most hazardous substances known to man and it impacts children, especially small children, in our urban areas. It can cause illness and even in small amounts can lead to brain damage and learning disabilities. Our lead standards need to be lowered from 15 ppb to at least 5 ppb. We need to aim for 1ppb like California, because any lead in drinking water is unsafe. We need to pass more legislation and establish programs to protect our drinking water from lead,” said Taylor McFarland, Chapter Coordinator, Sierra Club New Jersey Chapter. “We thank Governor Murphy for signing this bill today. Now we need to do more to combat our lead problem and to protect our most precious resources - our children.”