
July 24,2017
the staff of the Rmidgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Lead has been detected in more than half of the water fountains and sinks in 47 school districts in Bergen County, including Ridgewood according to a new report by Environment New Jersey an environmental advocacy group.
In April the Ridgewood blog reported on the test results in the Ridgewood school system . The State of New Jersey requires all drinking water in our school facilities to be tested for lead during the 2016-2017 school year.
The majority of the districts surveyed by Environment New Jersey had at least one fountain or sink where lead readings exceeded 15 parts per billion , that is the level set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that requires districts to take some action.
Most school districts shut down water fountains, replaced pipes and plumbing fixtures or installed filters to reduce the levels. Most of the time lead contamination does not come from water suppliers, but rather from old pipes and plumbing fixtures.
Eight of the 10 schools in the Ridgewood school system had at least one lead reading above the federal standard.
Politicians have of coarse jumped on the bandwagon ,led by Democrat Senator Booker , Democrat Congressman Josh Gottheimer and State Sen. Bob Gordon, D-Fair Lawn all have pushed for more funds ie increased taxes to save the day .
Questions arise as to where these politicians have been the last 10 years ? The Ridgewood School district has shown positive results every time they test . It seems old pipes and even older buildings are often the source . Senator Booker did nothing about the led problem the entire time he was Mayor of Newark ?
The lead in water issue seems like most things in New Jersey , ignore the problem then when it promises new funding act like it just happened and the New Jersey media blames the governor .