Mayor Ras J. Baraka and Water and Sewer Utilities Director Kareem Adeem announced that the city has crossed the 10k lead service line replacement program benchmark, despite dealing with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The City has continued its work to replace 18,720 lead lines without interruption-replacing on average, up to 100 per day.

“We are still aggressively moving full speed ahead with the replacement of all lead service lines in the city, although we have been dealing with the unprecedented outbreak of a virus,” said Mayor Baraka. “In the midst of what is going on, providing our residents with access to clean drinking water remains a high priority.”

The 10,000th milestone lead line was replaced by the City on Friday, on the 100th block of Magazine Street and crews from Newark based Roman E&G Corp., one of the City’s construction companies on the job, celebrated by making a sign they propped against the house.

“We want people to know these guys are out here working, even through the coronavirus pandemic. It didn’t slow us down a bit,” said Director Adeem. “This is a big milestone for the residents of Newark and we want to thank them for their help and support over the last year."

“We’ve had good organization to move quickly down blocks and we couldn’t have asked for a better winter,” said Tiffany Stewart, Assistant Director of Newark’s Water and Sewer Department.

The warm weather and systematic approach have the City on pace to replace all 18,720 lines, well before the original estimated time of 24 to 30 months and at no cost to residents.

For more information, please visit: www.newarkleadserviceline.com

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- NEWARK -