Listen to this article

New Jersey received $123.1 million for lead pipe replacement efforts to advance safe drinking water.

The funds are part of a $3 billion tranche of national funding via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) announced Thursday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The award is available through EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.

Officials say the announcement marks another major step in President Joe Biden’s commitment to replace every lead pipe in the country.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan stressed that the science is clear.

“There is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.”

Closing the gap

“Every New Jerseyan deserves safe drinking water when they turn on their tap and this major injection of funding will further bolster the work to achieve that goal,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia. “For too long, the urgent need to improve our drinking water systems has far outweighed the available funding. This crucial Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is helping close that gap.”

Gov. Phil Murphy noted our aging water infrastructure. He said the public threat it poses is a challenge across both the state and the nation.

“In order to prevent toxic exposures for this generation and beyond, we have committed to replacing every lead service line in New Jersey by 2031,” said Murphy, thanking the Biden administration, the EPA and the state’s congressional delegation for the funding. “The substantial federal resources pouring into New Jersey will put a great deal closer to this goal.”

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said that investments like this will pay dividends in our health, well-being and prosperity for generations to come.

“This investment in replacing New Jersey’s lead service lines will help ensure we deliver safe, clean drinking water while also creating jobs,” said Booker. “In a nation as wealthy as ours, every child should be guaranteed the right to safe drinking water.”