BERGEN

Suez spent $95M to remove lead pipes, and lead levels in NJ drinking water have dropped

Steve Janoski
NorthJersey.com

The amount of lead in the drinking water that flows into thousands of North Jersey homes and businesses has fallen to its lowest level in at least 30 years, executives of the water utility Suez said Monday. 

The utility, which serves about 870,000 residents in Bergen and Hudson counties, said that it has spent $95 million over the past three years digging up and removing almost 8,000 lead pipes. Suez has also changed the way it treats water to make it less corrosive.

The large water mains that run beneath streets do not contain lead. Instead, the smaller, old service lines about the width of a garden hose that connect the mains to homes and businesses contained lead. They are being replaced with new copper lines.

Lab results show lead levels have fallen to 5.9 parts per billion, the utility said. This is about a third of the allowable amount established by state and federal standards. 

“This is great news for the nearly 1 million residents and businesses we serve in northern New Jersey,” said Alan Weland, Suez's vice president and general manager. “Our work is not done, however. We will continue to work until we get all the lead out of the system.”

Suez utility workers replacing an old lead service line, seen at right, with new copper line, coiled at left. Service lines connect water mains with homes and businesses.

Despite the utility's progress, scientists say there is no safe level of lead in drinking water. When the toxic metal builds up in the body, it causes a litany of ailments and can stunt the development of young children. 

Suez, a multinational for-profit company with a headquarters in Paramus, said it expects to spend another $20 million in 2022 replacing more lead pipes — about 7% of Suez customers still have a lead service line or smaller connection pipes leading into their homes, according to a spokeswoman.

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Over the last decade, Suez's lead levels rose steadily before spiking in late 2018 to 18.4 parts per billion. This exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's safety standard of 15 parts per billion.

The following year, Suez's water again breached the standard when lab tests showed it contained 15.6 parts per billion.

Suez utility workers dig out an old lead service line.

Since then, the company has worked to cut lead levels, the statement said. It has sent more than 20 construction crews into 57 towns in Bergen and Hudson counties to remove a total of 7,700 dangerous lines. 

Suez has also developed corrosion control treatments that coat lead pipes to stop particles from entering the water flowing through them. 

Bergen County Executive James Tedesco and Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise lauded the company for its efforts.

"I welcome their continued commitment to ensure that all Bergen County residents have safe and equal access to clean drinking water,” Tedesco said in the statement. 

Weland, of Suez, said there is no lead in the company's water treatment plant in Haworth and no lead mains beneaBergen County's streets. 

And it's made it a priority to remove the service lines or goosenecks that still contain lead.

“We want all the lead out," Weland said. "It’s very important to us to ensure safety for all residents.”

Steve Janoski covers law enforcement for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news about those who safeguard your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: janoski@northjersey.com 

Twitter: @stevejanoski