New Jersey passes law to get the lead out of drinking water
New Jersey has four new laws with one goal: preventing lead poisoning.
New Jersey has four new laws with one goal: preventing lead poisoning.
On July 22, Gov. Phil Murphy signed four bills into law that raise the bar for getting lead out of our water and our homes. The strongest law mandates the creation of a comprehensive lead service line inventory and the removal of those service lines throughout the next decade. The other laws focus on alerting people to the presence of lead in homes and free testing for lead in water in certain circumstances.
“Lead service lines taint drinking water with unhealthy levels of lead and hurt the most vulnerable populations – pregnant women and young children,” said Environment New Jersey State Director Doug O’Malley. “The best solution to permanently get the lead out of our drinking water is to go straight to the source and replace every lead service line in the state. This mandate sets the bar.”
Environment New Jersey now urges Congress to fund lead service line replacements across the nation.
Read more about the laws.
Learn more about our Get the Lead Our campaign.
Photo: Environment New Jersey State Director Doug O’Malley spoke to local newscasters during a segment on the bills’ signing. Credit: WFMZ-TV 69