JANUARY 26, 2016, 8:53 PM LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016, 9:04 PM
BY STEVE JANOSKI
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — Local officials are looking to assuage public concerns about lead in drinking water after a letter from the local water utility recommended its customers take steps to avoid lead exposure.
The letter, sent to Ridgewood Water’s customers in Glen Rock, Midland Park, Wyckoff, and Ridgewood on Jan. 5, detailed lead’s health-damaging effects and advised customers to let water run to flush out lead that could’ve leached into the system from service lines and fixtures.
But David Scheibner, business manager for Ridgewood Water, said Monday night the letter is part of a public education campaign required by the state Department of Environmental Protection because of Ridgewood Water’s past history of elevated lead levels — not because of a new threat posed to the water supply.
Ridgewood Water’s pipes don’t have lead in them, he said, and the element is “undetectable” at the 52 wells in four communities that the utility operates. But those who live in homes built prior to 1930 might have lead service lines — water lines running from the house to the water main — and those homes built during 1982 –86 might have copper service lines soldered with lead, he said.
Only about 250 of the 20,000 service connections in Ridgewood Water’s territory have been identified as definitively having a line made of either lead or copper with lead soldering, said Scheibner — “The scope is minor, but we take it very seriously,” he said.
Flint NJ
I have a very VERY bad feeling about this. We have a completely untrustworthy council majority, and a blowhard village manager. And Dave Schreibner has a degree in art, I think. No scientific qualifications.
They lied to us about the parking referendum. What makes you think that they are telling the truth about lead in the water system?
Right 11:15 Lead poising causes declines in mental functioning. It all a plot by the Council Majority if we drink the water and it has lead our brains will decline and they can cause more damage and we will not know about it. What next ?
My professional advice to all parents – have your children tested for lead exposure. Better safe than sorry.
Conspiracy is everywhere… but this issue is no different than in any other community anywhere in the US. If you have lead pipes you are potentially at risk. The water utility is not responsible. If you are nervous go get a readily available test kit to test for lead. Also, it is always a good practice to let tap run for a bit before drinking water, Lead is a serious toxin–test to be safe.
Why are we prone to believe that there are absolutely no lead pipes or joints anywhere
In Ridgewood Water’s distribution system just because they say so?
An easy way to resolve this is to conduct random testing of school age children and make the results public.
Remember Flint Michigan.
Hello Ridgewood Residents….If the ridiculous amount of chlorine added to our water wasn’t bad enough, go*gle Ridgewood water PFOA and you’ll see the Ridgewood water has a deadly carcinogen that is normally found in TEFLON…Yes ridgewood, that is what you’re drinking and no one in our village gov cares enough about its residents to tell them(https://www.ewg.org/research/teflon-chemical-harmful-smallest-doses/pfoa-found-94-public-water-systems-27-states)There IS NO SAFE AMOUNT OF PFOA!!!…PS mayor, stop fining people 80$ for leaving leaves out…PSS Mayor, stop giving out insurance payouts for 21,920 to people who dont even have legal representation or make a claim and then purposely reject other peoples identical disaster because they are not Ridgewood socialites(https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-settles-resident-s-sewage-blowback-case-for-almost-22-000-1.1286808)…Ms. Sonenfeld seems to be carrying the full load so maybe she should be Mayor??? Would also like to add that RPD is always professional and continues to do a great job…Keep it up
Um, Steve, can you explain why, it Ridgewood Water was responsible for backing up sewage into someone’s home and damaging it, they would not be responsible? It was probably cheaper to just pay for the damage then to have everyone go out and hire lawyers. I don’t think Ridgewood “gave out” an insurance payment in a situation they obviously caused. The homeowners basement needed to be repaired.