The NRDC and NEW Caucus allege that city officials have failed to implement adequate water quality and treatment systems to prevent lead from getting into drinking water and that the city is failing to comply with federal requirements for monitoring and testing.
The city’s own data, the NRDC says, shows that 10 percent of water samples had elevated lead levels of 26 parts per billion, well above the Safe Drinking Water Act’s “federal action level” of 15 ppb.
The NRDC also says that Newark’s water testing procedures aren’t prioritizing high-risk sites, which it is required to do under federal law, NJ.com said.
“However, for many working-class people, it’s not.
By joining this lawsuit, we hope to hold the city and state governments accountable for providing safe drinking water to every home and school in Newark,” But city officials contend the problem is overblown.
“It is our goal to be transparent and keep our residents informed every step of the way.” The NRDC says in its lawsuit, however, that “the City does not know the scope of the problem because it has failed to identify which service lines contain lead, and has failed to properly monitor lead levels at Newark residents’ taps.” In April, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka told the Associated Press that the elevated lead fears were a “naked political stunt” to help a council member’s mayoral campaign.
There is no safe level of lead contamination.
In spring 2016, water fountains in 30 Newark public schools were found to have high levels of lead, and state officials shut off those fountains until the pipes could be replaced and filters installed.
The group is hoping for similar results in the Newark case.
In a statement, NRDC attorney Claire Woods said, “City and state officials are failing to take the steps required under the law to protect Newark residents from lead in their drinking water.