| Ridgewood Water Warns Users Of Lead Levels |
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BY JAMES M. O’NEILL NorthJersey.com Saturday, November 29, 2008 More than 10 percent of water samples recently tested by Ridgewood Water had higher-than-acceptable lead levels, triggering the utility to send a warning to the 20,000 homes it serves. The warning tells residents to run their taps for 15 to 30 seconds or until the water becomes cold before consuming tap water to remove traces of lead. It also cautions people not to consume hot tap water or use it to make baby formula because heated water accelerates the process that leaches lead from pipes. Boilingthe water will not remove lead. Does the way the general public notice is written sound alarming? Yes. Do we have a water crisis? Not at all," said Frank Moritz, director of operations for Ridgewood Water, which has 60,000 customers in Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Wyckoff and Midland Park. "The testing resulted in an ‘action level,’ not a ‘contamination level.’ " Ridgewood Water tested 63 homes for lead in September, and eight of those results were above 15 parts per billion. Moritz said the eight with high levels ranged from 16 to 30 parts per billion. Under federal Environmental Protection Agency regulations, a test in which more than 10 percent of samples register greater than 15 parts per billion requires a general notice to users. Lead can cause damage to the brain and kidneys. Adults with kidney problems and high blood pressure are also at risk, according to the utility’s notice. "Lead in drinking water is serious business because it can cause health problems in pregnant women and children under 6," said Karen Fell, chief of the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Safe Drinking Water Implementation. "It’s very important for people to be made aware of the precautions they can take." Ridgewood’s water supply does not contain lead; instead, lead can leach from a home’s pipes or fixtures into the water, Moritz said. In addition, some plumbing fixtures can contribute to lead in drinking water, including new brass faucets, fittings and valves – even those advertised as "lead-free." In 2001, Moritz said, Ridgewood Water also found more than 10 percent of its test samples contained unacceptable lead levels. The utility has passed federal testing standards since then. The water utility will have to test twice in 2009 rather than the standard one time a year. If the utility fails subsequent testing rounds, it will begin a lead service line replacement program. Ridgewood Water gets its water supply from a bedrock aquifer accessed by wells that extend down 300 feet or more. It is also tied into the reservoir system of United Water. The DEP’s Fell said homeowners can also have their water tested if they are worried. The DEP recommends that homeowners hire a state-approved laboratory rather than using a store-bought kit. Ridgewood Water lists several area labs on its Web site. Fell said residents should make sure they test after the water has been sitting idle in the pipes for at least six hours, to get the best reading on whether lead is leaching from the pipes. Ridgewood Water customers with more questions can contact the utility at 201-670-5520 or visit its Web site at http://water.ridgewoodnj.net. |
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