Photo: Pixabay
According to the latest numbers released by the state, NJ.com has reported that the lead levels in Newark's drinking water are at the highest ever, in the past 17 years.
After four consecutive six-month periods of monitoring, it was found that lead levels have elevated within the water system of Newark's Pequannock treatment plant. This plant serves every part of the city except the East Ward.
Any monitoring period results that date back to 2002 are maintained online by the state.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is set to issue three drinking water violations to the Newark water department, according to NJDEP spokesman Larry Hajna.
The latest monitoring period ran from July 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 2018. Out of 240 samples examined, over 100 samples showed a lead level that was higher than the federal standard, which is 15 parts per billion. With that being said, for this sample, the 90th percentile of samples averaged at 47.5 parts per billion.
In previous monitoring periods that ran from Jan. 1, 2017 to June 30, 2017 the 90th percentile of samples were never higher than 27 parts per billion.
For more detailed information on this issue, check out the NJ.com article here.