Do You Have Old Water Pipes? NJ American Wants To Know In Ocean County

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — New Jersey American Water is replacing old water service lines throughout its service areas. But to do so, it is asking for the help of its customers.

To do so, the company is urging its customers identify and report the material of the service line that brings water into their homes, as part of its Lead Service Line Replacement Program. All lead and galvanized water service lines must be replaced by 2031 under state law.

In Ocean County, New Jersey American provides service on the northern barrier island and to portions of several towns, as follows: Bay Head, Mantoloking, Brick (on the barrier island), Toms River (on the barrier island), Lavallette, and parts of Berkeley Township. It also provides service to Lakewood, Plumsted and Point Pleasant Borough.

New Jersey American Water can identify their lines and report the findings in three steps, the company said. Instructions on how to identify your line – including a video tutorial – and a special portal to submit your findings can be found online.

Customers whose service line material is not known will start receiving information from the company urging them to check their service lines.

"Replacing all lead and galvanized water service lines by 2031 is a top priority. The first step in accomplishing this goal, in the most efficient and cost-effective way, is to know where they are so we can remove them in a coordinated method, street-by-street and town-by-town," said Mark McDonough, President, New Jersey American Water.

In July 2021, New Jersey enacted legislation requiring all water providers to replace both utility-owned and customer-owned lead and galvanized service lines by 2031. But customer-owned water service lines have historically not been tracked by water utilities, so completing an inventory of customer-owned service lines is a necessary step to replacing all lead or galvanized water service lines.

It is important to note that if your service lines contain lead, it does not mean you cannot use water as you normally do. New Jersey American Water regularly tests for lead in drinking water and the water delivered to customers meets state and federal water quality regulations, including those set for lead.

For more information on this program, and lead and drinking water, please visit www.newjerseyamwater.com/leadfacts.