New Jersey American Water is launching an education campaign across the company’s service areas to encourage customers to self-identify and report the material of the service line that brings water into their home.
The effort is part of the company’s Lead Service Line Replacement Program aimed at replacing all lead and galvanized water service lines by 2031 as mandated by state law.
“Replacing all lead and galvanized water service lines by 2031 is a top priority. The first step in accomplishing this goal, in the most efficient and cost-effective way, is to know where they are so we can remove them in a coordinated method, street-by-street and town-by-town,” Mark McDonough, president, New Jersey American Water, said. “By educating and empowering our customers to participate in this easy way, we can help accelerate the program more expeditiously than the law’s 2031 deadline.”
Customers can help support the effort by locating and identifying their water service line and submitting a survey with their findings.
New Jersey American Water said this can be done by using household items such as a magnet and a coin to identify the material of the water service line.
The instructions on how to identify your line — including a video tutorial — and a special portal to submit your findings can be found here.
“We look forward to partnering with our customers, municipalities and other key stakeholders within the communities we serve over the coming months and years to work together towards this goal of replacing all lead service lines statewide, once and for all,” McDonough said.
New Jersey American Water said it is important to note that, if your service lines contain lead, it does not mean you cannot use water as you normally do. The Camden-based utility regularly tests for lead in drinking water and the water delivered to customers meets state and federal water quality regulations, including those set for lead.
