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Lead Free is the Way to Be!

  • August 23, 2023
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Protect Your Household by Reporting the Composition of Your Water Service Line

Water delivered to your tap by Middlesex Water is lead free and the Company adds further treatment to minimize lead that may be in household pipes from leaching into the water. The company-owned portion of the water service line – the line taking water from the street to the curb stop – is also lead free. But, if the customer-owned portion has lead, it can leach from the pipe into the treated drinking water entering customers’ homes. Lead solder in indoor plumbing and lead in some older plumbing fixtures can also add lead to drinking water.

Confused about the location of your service line? The illustrations below may reflect your service line configuration.

 

Lead can pose a health risk, particularly to young children, pregnant women, and unborn babies. Lead can build up in the body over many years and can cause damage to the brain, red blood cells, and kidneys. So, it’s important for customers to know if the service line providing water to their home and family is made of lead.

The good news for New Jersey residents is that legislation enacted July 22, 2021, calls for utilities to replace the entire length of the lead service line from the water main in the street to the water meter on the home or building owner’s property within a 10-year period at no direct cost to the property owner.

Middlesex Water has already replaced any known utility-owned lead service lines but because it does not have records on the service lines owned by customers on their private property, it is asking customers to self-report the composition of their service line through its web portal. Instructions are provided on how customers can assess and submit their service line assessment. Once the Company has an accurate inventory of customer lead lines, it can begin to develop a schedule to systematically and methodically replace any customer-owned lead lines serving their home.

The success of our Knocking Out Lead program – and improving our community’s health – relies on the cooperation of property owners to learn more and report their service line material.

The Company has long been working with communities to reduce lead exposure.

  • As part of its treatment process, the company uses pH control and further adjusts the water chemistry to minimize lead dissolving into water.
  • Middlesex tests water every six months in at least 100 high-risk homes in the distribution system, in compliance with state and federal requirements. The test results have never been above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) lead or copper action levels per the Lead and Copper Rule.
  • Additionally, regulations now also require New Jersey utilities to replace galvanized steel service lines, in addition to any lead lines, and Middlesex is currently replacing those lines on both the utility-owned and customer-owned portion.

Fighting lead requires a united effort.  We encourage all customers to join in our mission of “Knocking Out Lead” by visiting our Lead education page and submitting their service line status.  Report your service line composition here.

To learn more about health effects of lead and how to reduce exposure, review the FAQs and the following additional resources:

https://youtu.be/PqFHrae92OM

https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water

https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/prevention/default.htm

https://www.state.nj.us/health/childhoodlead/resources.shtml

https://nj.gov/health/ceohs/documents/dw_lead_factsheet.pdf

https://www.lslr-collaborative.org/uploads/9/2/0/2/92028126/lslrc_fact_sheet_lsls.pdf

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Middlesex Water Company

Middlesex Water Company
485C Route 1 South, Suite 400
Iselin, NJ 08830

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MATERIALS VERIFICATION TEST

The Materials Verification Test below can help you figure out if you have a lead, galvanized steel, copper, or plastic service line on the portion of the service line you own. When you have completed the visual inspection, please submit your results using the following survey link. If you have a lead or galvanized steel service line, Middlesex Water will contact you to confirm the results and schedule your service line replacement.

What you need:

  1. House key or coin
  2. Strong refrigerator magnet

Steps to check your service line:

  1. Find the water meter in your basement or outside your home and look at the service line that enters the water meter.
  2. Use the house key or coin to carefully scratch the pipe surface.
  3. Compare the scratched area to the following descriptions:
    • If it looks shiny and silver, the pipe is made of lead. A magnet will not stick to a lead pipe.
    • If it is a dull gray color with no noticeable scratch on the surface, the pipe is galvanized steel. A magnet will stick to a galvanized steel pipe.
    • If it is the same color as a penny, the pipe is copper. A magnet will not stick to a copper pipe.
    • If it is smooth and red, blue, white, or black, the pipe is plastic. A magnet will not stick to a plastic pipe.
  4. Report your service line material in this SURVEY

ENTERPRISE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

THE MIDDLESEX WATER ENTERPRISE WILL:

• Comply with, or produce results better than, applicable laws and regulations set forth by state utility commissions and government environmental regulatory agencies.

• Include the consideration of environmental impact in all business strategies, initiatives and project plans.

• Work to ensure a reliable source of water supply.

• Promote respect for the environment as part of our Company’s culture among employees and our suppliers in their daily operations.

• Focus on reducing the amount of water lost (non-revenue) in our distribution system and employ leak detection and other available technology to achieve this goal.

• Prevent pollution, reduce waste and minimize the consumption of resources to minimize risks to the environment.

• Continually work to educate customers about the importance of protecting and preserving our natural resources and the importance of wise water use.

• Educate, train and motivate employees to carry out tasks in an environmentally responsible manner.

• Build in system resiliency to mitigate effects of climate change and other short and long-term climate related challenges.

• Use efficient practices that save fuel, energy and water.

• Work with our industry and legislative representatives to shape public policy and legislation that supports water objectives and helps ensure safe drinking water.

• Invest prudently in our systems for infrastructure stability, operational resiliency and continued sustainability utilizing sound asset management planning.

• Engage with our community to ensure responsiveness to local needs and interests.

• Work in collaboration with our communities, local municipal officials and our vendors to ensure a clean, safe, reliable and resilient water supply.

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