Lead Bill Passes Senate

Today, the Senate passed S968 (Singleton). 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. It passed with a vote of 39-0.

“We have a serious problem with lead in New Jersey. This bill is a step in the right direction, but we have a lot more to do. Lead has become an ongoing issue in New Jersey. We are glad that this bill has passed because 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 Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “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.

“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 Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Now the Assembly must act quickly to get this to the governor’s desk to sign. We need to protect our most precious resources – our children.”