Bottled water continues to be handed out in Newark, after the city’s water supply tested positive for elevated levels of lead.
“Access to clean and safe drinking water is a fundamental right,” Governor Phil Murphy said as he toured a water distribution center in the city on Wednesday. “The State and City’s efforts, in tandem with University Hospital and our corporate partners, will ensure that Newark residents have access to bottled water.”
The city has begun replacing service lines and has handed out filters. However, elevated levels of lead were still found in two of three homes tested that were using the filters.
“We absolutely do not have enough information - one way or another - to determine whether the filters are working or not,” Mayor Ras Baraka said.
Murphy has called on the federal government to do more. He wants them to supply bottled water and fix the water infrastructure across the country.
“Now, more than ever, it is critical that state and federal partners stand together and provide all the resources and expertise we can to help Newark protect the health of its residents, including providing an ample supply of bottled water while we work to better understand the effectiveness of filters provided to residents,” DEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe said.
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