TRENTON, N.J. (WCBS 880) — Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday signed a handful of bills aimed at tackling both lead paint and lead pipes issues throughout New Jersey.
The governor says what happened in Newark was a wake-up call for so many.
The city is currently working to replace all of it’s 20,000 lead contaminated water pipes in just two years, but now, that efforts is broadening across the state.
“Our goal is nothing less than having every single lead water service line across New Jersey – and by the way there are roughly 300,000 of them – replaced within the next 10 years,” the governor said at a press conference on Thursday.
The three-bill packaged signed by the governor will also allow companies to charge customer more to help pay for the new pipes, though it’s possible federal funding may help cover the costs.
“We're going to ensure that every water service line that contains lead is properly catalogued and then removed,” Murphy said.
Another law signed by the Democrat will deal with lead paint to ensure all rental properties are free of the contamination.
The law will require “regular inspections for, and the remediation or abatement of, lead paint in rental properties."
Lead has been known to cause developmental problems in children, according to Sean Jackson, with the community development organization Isles.
He says he was proud to see New Jersey taking a hard stance against the pollutant in drinking water and rental homes.
“Today, New Jersey says, ‘We stop using our kids as lead detectors,’” Jackson said.