New Jersey has passed a new law to make it easier for people to know about and deal with lead in their drinking water. This law requires landlords to tell tenants if there could be lead in the water and stops landlords from blocking efforts to replace lead pipes. It also lets people who get water from public systems ask for a free test to check for lead.
If a landlord refuses to let workers replace lead pipes on the property, tenants can end their lease without any fees or penalties. The state’s health and environmental agencies will also provide information to help people understand the dangers of lead and how to reduce their exposure. A standard form for landlords to use when sharing this information will be created as well.
This law adds to what New Jersey has already been doing. The state has been working to remove all lead pipes from public water systems by 2031. So far, 22,007 lead pipes have been replaced, but there are still 135,547 lead pipes and nearly 873,000 pipes where the material is unknown. Removing lead pipes has been tough because sometimes the pipes are partly owned by the water system and partly by property owners, making it tricky to share costs and organize the work.
The new rules say public water systems must do one free test for lead each year if a customer or nonpaying user asks. If that test finds dangerous levels of lead, more tests can be done every 60 days until two tests in a row show safe levels.
Health officials say lead is dangerous at any amount and especially harms people who live in older homes. Acting Health Commissioner Jeff Brown said the law is important to help renters know the risks and take action to protect their families.
This change is a big step in making sure New Jersey residents have safer water and better information about lead in their homes.