The group says about 20 percent of water samples taken from across Newark last year exceeded acceptable federal lead levels, raising serious health concerns over safe drinking water.
"Newark’s water meets all federal and state standards … this issue is confined to a limited number of homes with lead service lines."
Lead is measured in parts per billion; although no amount of lead in water is safe, lead concentration should not exceed the federal action level of 15 parts per billion.
Failing to follow the rules The NRDC said lead contamination was a citywide problem.
The group compared levels found in Newark to those in Flint, which caused a national uproar several years ago when water there was found to have lead levels among the highest recorded by a large water system in the country, the group said.
While Newark lists 131 high-risk sites in its sampling pool, only 40 of those were sampled in the first six months last year, according to the notice of intent.
The DEP required semi-annual testing in Newark last year.
The high lead levels in the water are likely coming from lead pipes that are also corroding and dissolving into the water, she said.
She said city water was not contaminated with lead, but that the metal was introduced to the water system through lead service lines belonging to homes built before 1986.
Adebowale said any information the city did not provide was not in its possession.