The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is advising residential and business owners across the state to respond to letters that they may receive in the mail in the coming weeks indicating that their water system has not been able to determine the materials used in service lines to their properties. The campaign is part of ongoing state and federal efforts to protect public health through the identification and replacement of lead and galvanized water service lines in New Jersey.
Property owners who receive an Unknown Service Line notice are encouraged to read the letter from their water system and follow enclosed directions on how to proceed. The next steps may include requesting the customer to contact the water system to set up an appointment for verification of service line materials, or the system may provide information on how to self-identify service line material and report that information back to them.
“Through this effort, New Jersey continues to pave the way for the nation in protecting the public from the harmful effects of lead in drinking water,” said Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “The public’s response to these letters is critical to the success of evaluation and replacement of these lines for protection of public health.”
The public is strongly advised to be aware of and read the official notifications from their water system and to not throw them out or confuse them with private solicitations for water service line protection programs.
New Jersey American Water, the state’s largest water company serving approximately 3 million residents across New Jersey, expects to send out letters beginning in October.
There is no safe level of lead exposure. Lead is associated with adverse health impacts even at low levels, particularly in infants and children.
Lead is not normally found in drinking water at the source. Typically, lead gets into drinking water from the service lines (narrow pipes that extend from a water utility’s service mains to homes and businesses) and plumbing and fixtures that contain lead. As a result of corrosion, lead and other metals from the pipes slowly dissolve into the water. Many factors affect the amount of lead that leaches into the water, including lead content of pipes, fixtures, and solder, along with water temperature, pH and hardness.
For information on steps to reduce lead exposure from drinking water visit Drinking Water Facts: Lead (NJDOH) or Drinking Water Facts: Lead - Spanish (NJDOH)
Lead Service Line Inventories and Notices
Under recent amendments to the New Jersey Safe Drinking Water Act, public community water systems must identify and replace all lead and galvanized service lines in their service areas by 2031. While recent inventories have identified approximately 143,000 lead service lines that are being prioritized for replacement, there are still more than one million residences and businesses that have a service line that their water system has identified as being composed of unknown material.
Residents with known lead and galvanized service lines have been receiving notices since 2022 under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule. All public community water systems must directly notify residents by November 15, 2024, that they do not have records of what service line material serves their home.
These notices must be sent to homeowners on an annual basis until either the lead or galvanized service line is removed, or the public water system is able to verify that a service line does not contain lead.
Property owners should be aware that they may be responsible for the cost of replacing the portion of the service line that is on their property and should seek additional information from their water system.
How to self-identify service line materials
- Find your water meter: Your water meter may be located inside or outside your home. Common indoor locations are crawlspaces, garages, or basements. Common outdoor locations are on the sidewalk, in the yard, or between your house and the street.
- Find your service line: If you water meter is indoors, the service line will be located nearby on the same wall. If your water meter is outdoors, the service line likely enters the building at the point nearest the meter. If you cannot find your service line, contact your water system for guidance. If you do not know who your water supplier is, check your water bill or find out on NDEP’s publicly accessible database, Drinking Water Watch.
- Identify the service line material: Your service line will be either plastic or metal. If your service line is metal, it is important to determine the exact material. There are simple tests you can perform with a coin or a key and a magnet. These tests include gently scratching the pipe near where it meets the wall and placing a magnet on the pipe to see if it sticks.
For more details, visit https://dep.nj.gov/lead/notices/
The DEP’s Our Water’s Worth It campaign works to draw attention to the importance of clean water in our lives, from drinking water to supporting vibrant ecosystems and health places for recreation. An important focus of the campaign is educating the public on reducing potential lead exposure in drinking water.