Newarks New Way Of Fighting Lead Will Benefit Nearby Essex Towns – Newark, NJ Patch

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Newark has kicked off the latest phase of its campaign to tackle elevated lead levels in its drinking water, and it means good news for several Essex County towns that buy their own water from the city, officials say.

On Tuesday, Newark officials announced the launch of a new corrosion control method for the Pequannock Water Treatment System. According to officials, the previous system had become “ineffective” and contributed to a recent rise of lead levels in thousands of Newark homes with lead service lines.

Newark officials said they are putting a “safe additive” called orthophosphate into the water, which will help to reduce lead levels. The Pequannock treatment area will now use the same corrosion control that remains effective in the Wanaque system.

Experts expect lead levels will not be reduced when the next round of test results in July are released, as it takes time for the orthophosphate to optimize, officials said.

A Newark city spokesperson said that Belleville, Bloomfield and Nutley – which purchase water from Newark – will all benefit from the orthophosphate treatment. Towns that buy Newark’s water on an emergency basis, such as East Orange and South Orange, will also benefit.

“The only city that will not benefit is Pequannock Township, however we are in touch with them and are advising them on how to help optimize their corrosion control,” the spokesperson said.

Last week, Bloomfield town officials announced that Newark’s upgraded water treatment operations were slated to start at the Valley Road treatment plant in Montclair on May 7.

The new treatment will be fed downstream from Montclair and be distributed to Newark, Belleville, Bloomfield and Nutley. The effects are expected to be felt in six to eight months, NJ.com reported.

“This new treatment operation, we are told, will have a positive impact on Bloomfield’s drinking water quality,” Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia said.

Several Newark officials said the new system is a turning point in the city’s battle against lead.

“Launching a new corrosion control system at the Pequannock Water Treatment System marks a pivotal moment for the City of Newark,” said Kareem Adeem, acting director of the Newark Department of Water and Sewer Utilities.

Mayor Ras Baraka said the new system is a major step forward.

“We moved swiftly to install a new corrosion control treatment system, and we look forward to seeing a reduction in lead levels later this year,” Baraka said.

In the meanwhile, Newark officials plan to continue other recent efforts to protect residents from lead in their water supply, including an eight-year, $75 million campaign to replace about 15,000 residential lead service lines across the city.

Newark officials also plan to continue handing out free water filters to affected residents. So far, more than 36,000 people have received filters through the city’s door-to-door campaign. (Learn how to get a filter here)

Bloomfield officials took a cue from Newark in November 2018, handing out free filters after it was discovered that more than a dozen local homes had elevated levels of lead in their water. Most of the lead buildup was traced to the inside of homes, not the township’s water mains, officials said.

Newark also offers free water testing to homeowners who may be affected by elevated levels of lead. To find out how to get your water tested, contact the City of Newark Department of Water & Sewer Utilities at (973) 733-6303, or by email at waterandsewer@ci.newark.nj.us.

“The City of Newark has made a significant step forward by launching a new orthophosphate system to help reduce lead levels,” New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine McCabe said. “From distributing thousands of lead-safe water filters and replacement cartridges, to launching a comprehensive Lead Service Line Replacement Program, to installing a new corrosion control system, the City of Newark is making progress for its residents.”

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