More than a year after Newark completed replacement of lead service lines throughout the city, the problem has resurfaced.
Officials and the Department of Environment Protection learned that in some cases, third parties used to replace the lines may not have complied with all the requirements for replacement. In a statement Tuesday night, the city says they discovered that some of the new water lines were installed improperly, putting some residents at risk again.
It’s been more than five years since News 12 New Jersey first reported on Newark’s water lead contamination that left thousands of residents drinking bottled water. Officials say they now found four homes where the pipes should have been fully replaced.
In a statement released by the Department of Water and Sewer Utilities, officials say that at three of the four properties, some remaining lead components were found on the street side, between the curb and water main. Those lines were immediately replaced, but this is triggering a larger audit where the city will be inspecting more properties for similar issues.