Water Utility Ramps Up Lead Pipe Replacement In Maplewood

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Boots are on the ground in Maplewood. That’s the message from New Jersey American Water as it ramps up efforts to identify and replace old lead service lines in the township.

New Jersey passed a state law in 2021 that requires water providers to replace all of their lead service lines within 10 years. Read More: New Jersey Is Replacing Its Lead Water Pipes – All Of Them

The pipes – which connect local homes and businesses to the local water supply – can potentially leach lead contamination as water passes through them. A portion of the pipes may be privately owned, complicating efforts to replace them.

Since then, towns, cities and utility providers across the state have been moving forward with their plans to meet the new mandate, including New Jersey American Water (NJAW), which serves Maplewood.

According to NJAW, the company has made “significant progress” across the state and has replaced more than 12,000 lead lines so far.

However, nearly 43 percent of customer-owned water service lines in Maplewood are made of an unknown material, NJAW said.

“To help reduce this number, New Jersey American Water is currently supplementing their direct customer outreach efforts with on-the-ground canvassing to test and identify the material of customers’ water service lines and replace any lead or galvanized steel pipes at no additional cost,” spokespeople announced last week.

Inspectors with NJAW and its contractor, Montana Construction, will be visiting some local properties and digging a small test hole – typically near the customer’s water meter or curb stop – to determine the material of the service line (if it cannot be confirmed visually inside the home). Canvassers will be wearing high-visibility safety vests and will have contractor ID badges.

“If it’s determined that your service line is made of lead or galvanized steel, a Montana Construction representative will provide you with information on the next steps to have it replaced at no additional cost to you,” NJAW stated.

Want to see what the company’s records show for your property? NJAW has launched an inventory map, which can be seen online here.

Customers with unknown service line material can schedule an appointment directly by calling the Montana Construction team at 201-232-7624. Residents who know the material of their service line, or who would prefer to self-identify the material to NJAW, can submit a report online here.

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