MARGATE – The city has notified residents about the first phase of lead service line replacements to comply with NJ Department of Environmental Protection regulations. The city has embarked on a multi-year approach to replacing an estimated 2,800 water service lines made of lead or galvanized steel.
The state enacted legislation in 2021 that requires all water service providers to identify and replace lead or galvanized steel service lines by 2031.Galvanized piping was commonly installed in homes built before 1960 and was used as an alternative to lead pipes for water supply lines.
South State Inc. has been awarded a contract to do the work, which includes identifying where the lines are located and replacing any service lines that contain lead or galvanized steel material, which can be harmful to health, especially in infants and children.
Lead can cause serious health issues when ingested, including brain and kidney damage. Infants, children and pregnant women are most at risk. The mineral can cause lower IQ in young children and kidney damage and high blood pressure in adults. Lead exposure can also come from the dust produced from lead-based paints that have since been outlawed.
South State will be canvasing the neighborhood to check the lines in the street and may seek an appointment to inspect the lines inside homes. The law requires the municipality to replace lines from the street to the first shut-off valve inside the home. The inspection will only require a few minutes to review.
Accoridng to the letter, “If your home is found to have a lead or galvanized service line, it will be scheduled for full replacement. The contractor will notify you in advance before the work happens.”
The work will be done at no cost to residents and will be fully funded by state and federal programs.
The city’s engineer, Remington & Vernick, has uploaded a website where residents can self-report their water service line material and approve access to their property.
A link to the website has been posted on the city’s website, www.margate-nj.com.
Click here to review what the program entails:
https://lead-service-line-inventory-margatecity.hub.arcgis.com/#c5a448j62
The website also includes a contact page where residents can ask questions about the project.
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