N.J. Junior Leagues Unite to Provide Water During Newark Water Crisis – TAPinto.net

NEWARK, NJ – The Junior League of Montclair-Newark (JLMN) is uniting with Junior Leagues across New Jersey to support the residents of Newark impacted by the water crisis.

The JLMN along with the seven other Junior Leagues in New Jersey will raise money to purchase up to 10,000 cases of bottled water and also distribute it later this month to impacted Newark residents.

As of August 2019, both the City of Newark and the EPA acknowledged the residents of Newark are being exposed to a major health crisis. The EPA has determined that lead levels in the drinking water had risen to exceed 55 parts per billion, more than 3 times the federal action level and is considered unsafe for human consumption. Lead is particularly harmful to children and pregnant women and known to cause problems with cognition and behavior.

“The City of Newark is a critical community within our service area,” said Stephanie Hutton, President of the Junior League of Montclair-Newark. “But after learning more about the water crisis in Newark, and better understanding how many of our residents are without safe drinking water, we realized that our League should form strong partnerships to make the impact needed to support Newark residents.”

Additional details on a distribution event will be forthcoming, according to the Junior League.