August 11, 2019
It has recently come to the attention of Township of Pequannock officials that there are reports in the media regarding new tests on the water in the City of Newark that indicate the presence of lead. These tests were done on properties in the City of Newark, with lead service lines and not in the Township of Pequannock.
The most recent tests for the presence of lead in the Township of Pequannock were taken in the first quarter of 2019. While nine (9) of the sixty (60) homes in that sample exceeded the 0.015 milligrams per liter (15 ppb) threshold, follow up tests of water in the vicinity of those homes, within the water mains through drawing water from hydrants, did not find the presence of lead in the water, beyond normal background levels (e.g. <1 ppb – 3 ppb).
In his remarks, Mayor Ras Baraka, mayor of the City of Newark referenced, “the Pequannock Area.” As there have been no tests for lead in the Township of Pequannock since early 2019, we know Mayor Baraka was not referring to properties in the Township of Pequannock. Township of Pequannock officials believe he was referring to properties in the City of Newark who have lead service lines and receive water from the Pequannock Treatment Plant. The Pequannock Treatment Plant is owned and operated by the City of Newark, and located in the Township of West Milford.
The Township of Pequannock does purchase bulk water from the City of Newark’s Pequannock Treatment Plant; however, the Township of Pequannock has no evidence of any lead service lines for any Township of Pequannock water utility customers.
Should you have any concerns regarding the presence of lead in your water supply, a simple and effective remedy is to let your cold water run until it is cool to the touch plus an additional thirty (30) seconds. Furthermore, it is also recommended to not use hot water for cooking purposes.
If you are interested in having the water tested in your home, please be aware of the following laboratories in the area (the Township does not endorse any laboratory but is providing examples of laboratories in the area):
Agra Environmental and Laboratory Services, Dover, NJ – 973-989-0010
Aqua Pro-Tech Laboratories, Fairfield, NJ – 973-227-0422
Garden State Laboratories, Inc., Hillside, NJ – 908-688-8900
Integrated Analytical Laboratories, Randolph, NJ – 973-361-4252
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact David Seugling, Licensed Water Operator or Adam Brewer, Township Manager.