FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lead-Free NJ Statement on Completion of Newark’s Lead Service Line Replacement Program

CONTACT

Mo Kinberg | New Jersey Future Community Outreach Manager
mkinberg@njfuture.org

TRENTON, Feb. 11, 2021 — The co-chairs of Lead-Free NJ released the following statement on the completion of Newark’s lead service line replacement program:

“Solving the lead in drinking water crisis will be a significant step toward making New Jersey lead-safe, but there is more work to be done. Organizations and individuals across the state—including policy advocates; healthcare, housing, water, and childcare practitioners; community organizers; affected community members; and others—have joined together under the Lead-Free NJ banner to pursue a comprehensive approach to removing the risk of exposure from all sources of lead,” said Lead-Free NJ Co-chair Rashan Prailow.

“While Newark’s program shows how to structure a successful lead pipe program, not all community water systems, especially those serving low-income residents, will have the same access to funding,” said Lead-Free NJ Co-chair Debbie Mans. “It is critical that state and federal funds are leveraged to help these fiscally distressed communities and put to bed the problem of lead in drinking water once and for all. That’s why members of the Lead-Free NJ campaign are seeking more state and federal assistance.”

Lead-Free NJ was founded in 2021 as an equitable and inclusive collaborative. The organization works to ensure that New Jersey’s children are free from lead poisoning and that our environment is lead-safe by advocating for changes to state and local policy. Lead-Free NJ seeks to eliminate racial and economic inequities by focusing on legacy lead hazards in low-income communities and/or communities of color, while also creating the conditions for children to be free from lead poisoning statewide.