On July 22, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a package of bills to address lead exposure in New Jersey and its harmful effects on public health and child development.
In addition to a bill that requires lead paint inspection on certain residential rental property, Gov. Murphy signed two bills specific to lead water service lines:
- A5343/SS3398 requires public community water systems to inventory and replace lead service lines within 10 years and provides for recoupment of costs by investor-owned public water systems.
- A5407/S3459 removes restrictions on special assessments and bond issuances for the replacement of residential lead service lines and revises budgetary requirements for operators of certain water systems.
“In October of 2019, I put forth a multifaceted statewide plan to protect New Jersey’s children and families from the dangers of lead, and today, we are taking a significant step forward in our strategy to reduce lead exposure in our homes,” said Governor Murphy. “Modernizing our aging water infrastructure with new lead services lines is critical in ensuring safe drinking water flows through our communities.”
